


Arctic Trails, Secret Tails

by Ya_Bumblebee_Babe



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Injury, Body Horror, Coitus Interruptus, Dang I suck at this whole tagging business, Devil Chickens, F/M, Kinda, Kings & Queens, Lovable Animal Sidekick, Slow Burn, Snow, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2019-10-19 07:43:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 53,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17597150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ya_Bumblebee_Babe/pseuds/Ya_Bumblebee_Babe
Summary: Leisel has spent a long time running.  Finally, after so long, she had found peace far to the North, on the frontier, where the lines between the Law of the King, and the Law of the Land blurs.  But when Captain Alton and his men of the 9th Company of the Kingsguard arrive in town, it means trouble for any magic-user around.  Will Leisel escape persecution and live in peace?  Or will the 9th Company bring her back to the capital in chains?  This is my first story so pls feel free to offer as much constructive criticism as possible. :)





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So this is my first story, so I hope you leave lots of reviews so I can hopefully improve my writing. I'm from Fairbanks, Alaska, so a lot of the setting is based off of what winter looks like where I live, around the solstice. Hopefully I've managed to do it justice. The title is a variation from one of the first lines in one of my favorite poems, The Cremation of Sam McGee, by Robert Service, the Bard of the North. He wrote a ton of poems about the gold rush that took place in the Yukon and Alaska in the late 1800's. His stuff is always so good at painting haunting pictures of scenery in Alaska. Pls look up his stuff its great. If you really want a good setting, The Creamation of Sam McGee, The Shooting of Dan McGrew, and The Spell of the Yukon are all really good pictures of the kind of environment I'm tryna set up. Look 'em up, they're great.  
> Enjoy!

Her cheeks were just starting to lose feeling when she finally broke through the treeline and found the main road. Anik grunted behind her, knowing from years of pulling the sled that they were near journey's end.

"Come on, boy. Let's get this show on the road."

 

The show Liesel was referring to was the spectacle she seemed to be for the people of Fairmount. The visceral image of a diminutive figure with an alarmingly large longbow strung over her back, pulling along a sled full of unimaginable witchery was something to be wary of.

Everyone knew to beware of magic. The good people of Fairmount were well aware of the witch in the woods. Nobody knew where she lived exactly (nobody really wanted to know anyway. Best not go pokin' your nose in a witch's business) , but they did know that every month or so, (more often in the winter) she stumbled out of the trees with a huge, shaggy beast towing her wares. However wary of her the village was, they weren't wary enough to turn down her fine furs or herbal remedies. Every winter, the cold gripped the small town with such fury, your lungs felt like Old Man Winter was squeezing them himself. This brought all sorts of chills, aches, and illnesses to the children, elderly and anyone else unlucky enough to fall sick. The witch's furs were always toasty warm when made into blankets, parkas, boots and mittens, her remedies always seemed to work faster and better than those that could be purchased at the charlatan's apothecary in the next town over. It was a favorite topic of the men on whether or not the furs were enchanted, to be so much better than any of their hauls. (the vote was in favor of skill, and healthier animals wherever the witch lived.)

_'Have you SEEN that beast she touts along? Maybe they're all like that..'_

The women liked to discuss whether or not it was safe to use the medicines the witch brought

( _'How do we know she won't poison us one day? Are they really worth the risk?' 'I don't know about you, but Johanna wouldn't have seen the Solstice this winter if it wasn't for one of her cures.'_ )

The children always thought it was such fun to peer from behind a corner or their mother's skirt to catch a glimpse of the witch.

_'Suppose she has a wart! I hear witches have warts!' 'Naw, Isbel saw her an' she said she's real pretty.' 'Gee, y'see the size of that bow? My Da says he don't think he could pull a bow that big!'_

In one way or another, there was always a buzz when the witch came to town. Occasionally, someone got it in their head that this unnaturalness wouldn't be taken anymore, and someone should do something about it. Nobody ever really knew what happened. Sometimes the fellow tripped in a dip in the snow that hadn't been there a second ago, sometimes they got as far as laying a hand on her shoulder, next thing they knew, they were ten feet away on their ass, feeling like a horse had kicked them in the chest. Witnesses stated that all they saw was a flash of murky green light and

"Trevor just went flyin'! I seen it!"

 

All in all, Leisel, 'the Witch in the Woods' came into town, sold her wares, bought things she couldn't forage for, dealt with the numerous and wary looks, and left again, Anik faithfully pulling the sled. Leisel drew a breath, feeling the cold, dry air sweep through her lungs. The rising sun was orange on the snow covered trees as she readied herself to brave the town once more.

 

The walk from the woods where Leisel met the road took about fifteen minutes. During this time, she ran over the itinerary of today's trip.

First was the tannery, where leathers and materials ready to be made into more useful items were sold. Johan, the owner, was unreliable about buying off of her. He hailed from Cleary, a larger settlement closer to the capital, and therefore more apt to buy into the stigma surrounding magic-users. Some days he would squint suspiciously at Leisel as looked over the pelts she brought in, before grudgingly handing over the money.

Other days he would glare at her from behind the counter for a few minutes, then grunt

"Get out, witch." It wasn't worth it to argue, not when she could sell her wares at the general store down the street. They payed a bit less, but it was worth the minor loss to escape conflict. Fairmount, farther away from the capital's influence, held more to the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy when dealing with magic, if Leisel were to start a fight with a reputable shop-keep, the Kingsguard would be called and she would be taken away in chains.

 

The villages on the far-North edge of the kingdom still held their stories and beliefs close. Magic was from the woods, and the wind, and the earth, and though these things could be harmful, they were also natural. Magic-users held power, a power just as dangerous and life giving as the rain, wind or sun. An old power that wasn't necessarily feared, but something to be wary of. It was a delicate balance of old and new law. Make too much of a fuss, and Leisel would not be considered dangerous.

 

Today, Johan accepted her furs with only mild glaring and grumbling and Leisel went on her way to the general store. The clerk, Anka, greeted her with a nod, and asked,

"How many today? We got a cough going through town right now; sure could use the help."

Anka was one of the few people that would exchange more than the barest transaction with. Her medicines had saved the life of Anka's elderly mother and young son. The matronly woman had decided that this meant that Leisel and her medicines could be trusted, helped distribute them to the town, and gave her a fair price for them.

"I got about the usual. Harvests were small this year, sorry." Leisel set the bag on the counter with a clatter. Anka silently started sorting through the small jars and pulling down the supplies Leisel regularly needed.

"Listen", Anka said after a bit, "you might not want to come 'round for a while. Last month really riled the skittish folk, an' they called up the Kingsguard. Should be here any day now."

Leisel frowned. This wasn't good. Her life revolved around _not_ getting actual authorities involved. It was well known that Magic was outlawed, and anyone who was found to be practicing was whisked away by soldiers and never seen again. Leisel had traveled to Fairmount specifically to _avoid_ this sort of confrontation. Folks up North were more likely to mind their own business and less likely to call the guard.

 _"Things have worked up here fine for ages without no government, things'll keep on working fine without 'em"_ the old folks were apt to mutter.

 

Last month, a group of 'concerned' citizens had got it in their heads that Leisel's witchcraft would no longer be tolerated, and made their opinions very clear, very loudly, and in a very physical manner. She had gotten away with a few bruises, but at least two of her assailants had been flung through the air and one hadn't been able to walk without severe intestinal distress and accompanying intestinal products.

"Yeah, okay," Leisel sighed. She half-expected something like this. "I'll get twice my usual then. Won't be back for a couple months. Are you going to be okay with just the jars I brought today?"

Anka nodded, "Sure, hon, we'll have to be. We can handle a few months without ya, but you help quite a bit 'round here. If you go, so do these."  She waved one of the little jars of cough medicine.

Leisel nodded, paid, and stepped back out into the orange daylight. The days were short now, with the approaching solstice. The sun was setting and she didn't want to be out when the temperatures dropped without the meager sun. Anik was waiting for her, loosely tethered to a post. She heaved her bag and supplies onto the sled and tied it down.

"Come on, boy. Let's head home." Anik grunted, and they walked down the road back to the woods. Children trailed at a safe distance, watching the pair disappear into the thick trees once more.


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so here this is. Lemme know if it's shit so I can actually edit this time.

“Boread’s Balls, it’s cold!”, exclaimed Bernard, one of Captain Alton Ericson’s men. “How do these people live like this?”  Bernard, like Alton, was born and raised in the North Kingdom’s capital, Isholt. With warm, dry summers and cool, rainy winters, the entire 9th company Kingsguard hadn’t seen snow five times between the ten of them.  Alton was inclined to agree with Bernard. Not only was it a month-long journey they were all exhausted from, finally reaching their destination meant dealing with this bitter cold. The frigid air shriveled the lungs and,  _ other  _ parts and the longer and longer nights made it hard to keep a steady pace.  

At last though, the company had arrived.  Fairmount was the farthest outpost from the capital, and the furthest North.  With only five hundred people to its name, it was also the smallest. The journey had been full of grumbled remarks and unhappy soldiers.  Many of the men felt it was unnecessary for a whole company to go to a town with only five hundred people.  _ And  _ in the dead of winter.  Really, what could such a tiny village have going on that would warrant such a force?  They knew, though. Magic.

Saying the word, even among this company, who had dealt with such things many times in the past, got you heavy, sideways looks.  Every time the 9th Company was sent to deal with a sorcerer or mage or whatnot, they had no real idea what they were getting into.  They were sent out on hushed rumours most of the time, whispers of a man who could blow fire or a lady who could see the future. Vague descriptions of who, what, where, and how.  This time, however, was different.

The hawk had come, bedraggled and weary, with an unusually detailed note.  They knew this; it was a witch who had established herself in the woods beyond the town in a yet unknown location.  The note had detailed her apparent powers as ‘ _ throwing grown men in the air’  _ and an affinity for herbal magics.  This was nothing new. However, exactly  _ how  _ the note-writer had known about the herbal magics made them all wary.  Everyone knew that the far North had never really been conquered. The people there still clung to the idea that magic was not to be feared insomuch as respected.  It was apparent that the witch had been selling potions and creams to the village people, meaning that there must be some sort of trust between them. For someone to have betrayed that trust, something big must have happened.  That is what Alton was worried about.

“Heyup!” he shouted.  Fairmount had come into sight around the bend in the road.  “This is it. Be ready, be sharp. We don’t know much, and the locals are likely to be a little hostile.  You know how things are up here.” There was muted nods and mumbling of agreements. “Each man take a partner.  Knock on every door and ask around. Nobody goes anywhere alone. We don’t know where she is. Christoff, you’re with me, the rest of you, sort yourselves out.  Meet at the inn in two hours. Clear?”

“Clear!” was the echoed response.  Alton nodded, turned his horse towards town and moved forward.  In the back of his head, he thought, ‘ _ Into the lion’s den’ _

 

Anka looked up as the door of the shop swung open, releasing the cold air into the room.  

“Howdy there-” she stopped short, seeing the armour stamped with the seal of the Kingsguard.  She had warned Liesel in time, then. She cleared her throat.

“Well, not often we get folks from out of town.  What can I help you with?” The taller of the two pulled off his hood, and said

“We’re here about a witch.”  

Anka tried not to fidget.  Oooh she was a  _ terrible  _ liar.  “Would you happen to know anything about that?”  She put on her best confused face.

“A witch?  Here in Fairmount?  Oh, well it’s the first I’ve heard of it.  My, you don’t really think that- A real witch?  Oh, are we in any danger?” She made her eyes very big and fluttered her hands nervously in the air.

The shorter one, the blonde, was quick to reassure her.

“Oh, no ma’am.  No danger at all.  It’s what we’re trained for.  We’ll have her carted off in no time.  She won’t bother this town again.” he straightened up and tried to look as big as he could.  The taller, dark-haired one (most likely his superior officer) whacked him in the stomach with an arm.

“Christoff, stop flirting.  But, no ma’am, you’re not in any danger.  Not anymore. You haven’t heard anything, seen anything strange?”  Anka did her best to look like she was thinking.

“Oh, I don’t think so.” She stopped wiping down the counter, “I can’t think of anything.  Well, just normal things, like the wolves getting into people’s chickens and that sort of thing, but that happens every year ‘round this time.  Dead of winter’s always the hardest, y’know.” She turned to him, and fixed him with a cold look.

The first man nodded, sensing the hostility in the air.

“Well, if you do hear anything, let us know.  We’re staying at the inn. Come find us.”

The blonde nodded as well, shouting over his shoulder as they walked out the door,

“Don’t worry, Miss!  We’ll make sure that witch causes no more trouble around here!”

The door slammed shut, and Anka was alone once more.  ‘ _ Gods’,  _ she thought,  _ ‘I hope I warned her in time.’ _

Outside, it was already dark out.  Christoff shivered, and cupped his hand around his mouth, attempting to warm them.

“Y’think she was telling the truth?  I find it hard to believe that a witch is in town throwing people around and she hasn’t noticed.”  Alton nodded,

“She knows something.  Did you see those little jars and bottles on the back shelf?  Labeled as cough medicines? She knows the witch, and she knows what we’re here for.  That’s the Northerner’s superstition for you. We’ll have to move fast, before she warns the magician.”  They walked to where their horses were tied to a post. Around it, huge, cloven hoofprints were pressed into the snow.

“C’mon,” Alton said, “Nothing more to be learned today.  Let’s get checked into the inn and get some dinner.”

~~~~~~

Back at the inn, Christoff and Alton were enjoying a hot meal and good beer.  Bernard and Kay bustled in, rosy-cheeked and frosty. 

“Sir, you’ll never guess what we found.” Bernard said, shoving his way into the small booth.

“If it’s not the witch, I don’t care” Alton replied, taking a sip from his stein.  

“Oh, I think you’ll care.  Our gear ust isn’t up to snuff with this cold, y’know?  So me ‘an Kay thought we’d get some better mittens and shit from the tannery.  Well, look at this.” He held out a large mitten that looked to be made from extraordinarily fine beaver skin.  

“Damn, where did this come from?” Christoff remarked.

“That’s just what we said to the shop-keep.  He said that the witch brings ‘em in! The skins, not the mittens.  Looked kinda ashamed to admit it, but he said that they were the finest material he could get that didn’t cost a fortune, and that they really help the village out!”  Christoff inspected the glove with a more critical eye.

“Huh, looks safe.” he said.

“Well, looks can be deceiving,” Alton replied, “The woman from the general store is distributing the witch’s potions as well.  I doubt any of you would want to feed those to your sick grannies.” The mood was solemn. 

Later, as more of the Company trickled in, it was revealed that the person who had sent the message had been stricken with great bowel discomfort for a week after the witch had attacked him, that the witch lived in the forest somewhere to the North of town, and she had just come into town today.  This gave Alton an idea. 

“Great!  Even  _ more  _ North!” complained Kay.  Everyone nodded glumly. Alton cleared his throat and said,

“Look, I know nobody’s going to be happy about this-” A great round of groaning and head-shaking ensued, “-But the best thing to do is go tomorrow.  Hopefully we’ll still be able to follow her tracks and catch up to her.” An even greater amount of groaning and complaining followed this statement. “Oh hush up, all of you.  We start at dawn tomorrow. Get some sleep.” And with that, the 9th Company of the Kingsguard settled in for the night, not knowing what tomorrow would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The curse Bernard says in the beginning is from the Greek god of the North wind, Boreas. If ya can't tell, I read too much Percy Jackson. But the distrust a village has for outsiders is also something we see a lot here in Alaska, for some of the little villages out in the boonies. They're a real tight knit bunch, and I kinda think it'd be cool having a whole town have your back.


	3. III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the trope that children are smarter and more discerning than people think. However. I can't stand real children so whatever.

Leisel opened her eyes to see the log ceiling of her cabin. Yesterday, it was made clear she wasn't welcome in town for a while, so there were some things that needed to be done. First, ration and freeze the root vegetables she had picked up yesterday, as well as portion the flour. It would be several months before she would be able to get more. Next, take stock of other supplies. Her snares were having a good season and she needed to check the beaver trap. She would be warm enough, but meat was the biggest problem. While there was still a whole half-a-moose hanging in her cach, it wouldn’t last forever.  She needed to go hunting before the next snowfall made her trails impossible to get through. Plus, she needed more fletching feathers for her arrows. Ptarmigans it was, then.

Grumbling, Leisel heaved herself out of the warm cocoon of blankets and furs in her bed, and stumbled over to rekindle the wood stove. ' _ Damn, it got cold in here _ ' she thought, ' _ Hope Anik did okay _ ' Anik was one of the many unique native creatures that lived this far North. Almost as large as a moose, the tuttu, a large, migratory herbivore, roamed the barren tundra, feeding on moss and lichens in huge herds. Leisel had found Anik abandoned one summer, on the tundra just beyond her cabin. He had most likely fallen behind his herd on their summer migration, and would starve in the fast-approaching winter. He was obviously still very young, perhaps only a few weeks old. She had taken him in, and he had become quite the helper, using the sled to help drag loads that would take days for Leisel to do on her own.

After pulling on woolen leggings, a thick tunic, several pairs of sturdy woolen socks, fur hat and mittens, thick, sealskin boots, and finally, her pride and joy, heavy bearskin cloak. The brown bear it had belonged to had nearly killed her, but that was a story for another time. Finally, she was able to step out into the snow.

It was still dark out. This time of year, this close to the Solstice, it wouldn't be light out till a few hours before noon, only for the sun to set a few hours after. Lighting the lantern hung on a hook by the door, Leisel marched out to the tiny barn where the animals were. As she opened the door, Anik lifted his head, straw hanging off one antler. He squinted up at her, looking very displeased at being awoken. He grunted, and lay his head back down.

"Yeah, you're fine." Leisel said. She went to go check on the chickens. As a rule, she didn't like chickens. They were smelly, had to be kept warm, and had a bad habit of escaping the confines of their pen and dying in the cold. But they laid eggs, so Leisel tolerated them.

"Alright, devil-birds, any eggs today?" she shooed the hens off their nests, collected the two eggs that would be her breakfast, added a little more wood to the stove in the coop, then left them to their plotting. Leisel was pretty sure they were planning on killing her. They had a look in their eye some of the people in town did, right before shit went down. But Leisel and the chickens tolerated each other. She would keep them warm and feed them, they would give her eggs. It was a cold agreement, but it worked.

After breakfast, Liesel prepared to go hunting.  She threw jerky, a small first aid kit, firestarters, dry kindling, and a small tent in her pack, and grabbed her bow and quiver.  At this point, Anik was more awake and actually out of the barn.

“Well, good morning Mary Sunshine!  Glad to see you up and about!” Anik was not impressed by her false cheeriness and glared some more.  

“I’m going out.  I should be back before tomorrow.”  It was a bad habit, talking to him like that.  Born of loneliness and an attempt to keep her sanity, Leisel chatted with him about her plans and told him her deepest, darkest thoughts.  He bore it with the same resigned nature an elderly cat lets a small child haul it around. Hiking her pack higher on her shoulder, Liesel waved goodbye to Anik, and stepped out of the clearing.

~~~~~

“Fucking  _ hell,  _ how is it even colder today than it was yesterday?  Gah, I can’t feel my balls!” 

“At least you’ve still got yours!  I think mine fell off a few miles back.”

“Oh, really?  I thought someone had dropped a couple of buttons in the snow, for how big they were.”

“Oh yeah, well your mother sure seemed to-”

“If I hear one more word about the state, size or nature of anyone’s balls I will make sure none of you have any to talk about!” Alton yelled behind him.  “If you all don’t shut up, you won’t have to worry about the witch killing you, you’ll have to worry about me! A bunch of children, I swear!” Hours upon hours of uninterrupted complaining that would have made a spoilt child beg for lessons.  ‘ _ Please, Goddess, just let this mission end, and give me the strength not to kill these idiots’  _ he begged.  Starting off at dawn had been a worthless idea.  It was morning long before any light crept over the horizon, and Alton had been furious about the lost time.  After a hurried breakfast, the Company had been directed to the spot off the road the witch usually disappeared into.  Surprisingly, it was the children who had directed them there. 

~~~~~~

“Ya lookin’ for Miss Liesel?” a small voice had asked from the vicinity of a mother’s skirt.  They had been asking around to see if anyone knew exactly which part of the woods the witch lived in.  They had stopped a woman in the road to see if she knew. Christoff, always good with children, crouched down and said,

“Yeah, little man, you know where to find her?”  The child nodded, round cheeks rosy from the cold,

“Uh huh, but she said it’s a secret, ‘an I’m not s’posed to tell.” He looked down and hid behind his mother again.  

“Now, Isaac, tell the nice man where that awful woman lives.  He’s only trying to help.” She tried to coax him out. “Maybe they’ll let you see their swords if you’re good.  You like swords, don’t you, love?” The boy nodded reluctantly. 

“You’re here to help?  You promise?” he said hesitantly, “She gets awful lonely, an’ needs a friend.  You gonna be her friend?” 

“Uh…” Christoff glanced up at Alton, looking for him to back him up.  Alton nodded, and leaned down beside him.

“Yeah, sure kid.  We’ll be sure to be real nice to your friend.”  The child brightened immediately. 

“Okay!” he chirped. “C’mon!  It’s over here.” he grabbed Alton by the hand and tugged him towards the edge of town.  On the way, he babbled on and on about how wonderful and cool Miss Liesel was, how  _ ‘She always makes pretty sparkles in the air, ‘an one time Claire had a skinned knee ‘an Miss Leisel fixed it really fast, ‘an she lets us pet her friend.  Do you know his name? His name is Anik. I really like Anik. He’s really soft and he licks my hand!’ _

All this seemed to be new information to his mother, who grew whiter and whiter with each detail revealed.  It was new information for the men too. The witch’s name was Leisel, and she had a pet who was very tall, very hairy, had antlers, and ‘ _ liked to lick faces’  _  The mother was able to give them slightly more useful information.  

The witch came into town every month, sold furs and medicines, bought mostly vegetables, spices and flour, then left.  She carried a massive longbow and seemed fairly good with it, had blonde hair, brown eyes, and a dark fur cloak. The mother also made several comments on the respectability and dress of the witch.

“You should see her, coming into town in the summers!  Wearing clothing not fit for smallclothes. You know, a respectable girl don’t wear anything that goes above the knee, and this skirt was midway up the thigh!  Really, you can see why we need her gone, spreading ideas like that. And the tattoos! No good woman has tattoos but she’s got ‘em all up her arms, down her legs and all over!  Just think, who must have put that there! It’s improper!” 

Alton went slightly red in the face as the woman went on to describe the level of undress and improperness of the witch, and how she must have gotten all that ink.  

“Miss Leisel says they help her do magic!” the boy, Isaac piped up from Christoff’s shoulders.  She says they’re special drawings ‘an letters that let her focus, ‘an they all do different things!”  The men exchanged glances. This was runic magic, a sign of a particularly powerful magic user. Runes enhanced and focused magic, and the fact that this witch had so many was a bad sign.

“Oh, here we are!  This is where she goes!  I remember ‘cause this is the tree Mitchel fell out of when he-” Isaac prattled on, but Alton and his men were focused on the dark trees looming before them.  This was it. Alton directed his horse into the deeper snow off the road. They left the boy with his mother and stepped into the witch’s domain.

~~~~~~~

They had been found the tracks of the witch fairly easily.  Sled marks with deep hoofprints and a single set of human tracks beside it were fairly easy to follow through the deep snow.  Shortly after Alton’s announcement about the witch, the mood had grown somber, each man knowing exactly how dangerous this mission had become.  At least until,

“Hey, exactly how many runes d’ya think this witch has?  How far up y’think they go?” Simon, one of the more disliked men of the 9th Company asked salaciously, wiggling is eyebrows.  Most others groaned, fed up with Simon’s attitude. He had gotten the Company into many fights by saying the wrong thing to the wrong woman.  Bernard yelled from the back,

“She’s probably got just how many it takes to string you up by your balls, Simon!”  The others laughed uproariously. 

“Hey!  I thought I said enough balls talk!” their captain yelled back, “But he’s right Simon.  I really don’t think you wanna get in bed with something that’ll kill you. Get your head out of your ass and start thinking with it, not your dick!”

This triggered another round of laughter.  Suddenly, Alton spotted smoke rising through the trees, not meters away.

“Shhhh!” he hissed, waving back at the group.  “Look.” he whispered, pointing.

They all looked up to see the smoke, and followed the plume until the saw a squat little cabin nestled in a clearing.  A massive, antlered beast wandered the yard, nibbling the ends off twigs. 

Alton looked back at his soldiers to see each of their faces as hard and cold as stone.  Weapons at the ready, the crept into the clearing, and the witch within.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I added a few little knowledge nuggets in here, so a ptarmigan (pronounced 'tar-migan' The 'p' is silent) is the state bird of Alaska, and Anik is a 'tuttu' which is the Iñupiat word for caribou. The Iñupiat are a Native Alaska people who traditionally live in the upper fourth of the state by the Bering sea. So basically, Anik is just a really big caribou. Hopefully y'all still like this, lemme know in the comments, IDK. Also. I don't like chickens. You will see this many times over the course of this story.


	4. CH. IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI, if y'all want a soundtrack to listen to while ya read this, "Finlandia" and "En Saga" both by Jean Sibelius are great pieces. Also, First Suite for Military Band, Movement 1 by Gustav Holst. Or, y'know, just listen to them anyway, they're great pieces.

Leisel exhaled and released the arrow, her breath a plume of fog beside her.  The arrow struck true, and the rest of the flock was startled into the air. No matter.  This was her third kill of the day, and she had just the right enough to fletch all her arrows and feed herself, just in the nick of time.  Only after a few short hours, the sun was setting again, painting the tips of the trees orange with its weak light. As she climbed out of the vantage point in a tree, she smiled to herself.  This had been a perfect day, despite the fact that there were possibly soldiers coming to kill her. But that didn’t matter now. Her larder would be full, the days would grow shorter, colder and darker and she would be safe, tucked away in her cabin, snug and sound, with a cup of herbal tea.  ‘ _ Oohh,’  _ she thought,  _ ‘Tea sounds good.  When I get back I’ll have to make a cup and make supper.’   _ She smiled, content in the fact that she knew these woods better than anyone.  She would be safe here.  _ ‘Oh, I should also get some knitting done.  I need more socks.’ _

~~~~~~

Alton stood at the ready, waiting for the beast to charge.  His men were creeping around the clearing, closing in on the shabby barn, log cabin, and strange tiny hut on stilts.  He waited for the behemoth to charge, or alert his master to their presence. He tightened his grip on his sword. The animal blinked, grunted, and swung it’s huge head back down to the snow, sniffing for more dead grass from the summer.  Alton suddenly felt like a bit of a dope.

“Cap’n!  Barn’s clear!” shouted Kay from across the yard.  

“So’s, uh, this thing!” Bernard yelled from atop the raised hut.  Alton nodded in affirmation,

“Close in on the cabin.  Be ready, she knows we’re here now.”  As one, the group closed in on the little door in the rough, log hut.  Alton raised one hand, and gestured forward once. 

With a great shout, Alton rushed the door.  Kicking it off its hinges, he burst into the cozy home.  

“Witch!” he bellowed, “Kingsguard!  In the name of King Leopold of the North, surrender and you will not be harmed!”  His men filled in behind him, blocking the way out. 

What he expected to find was a dark, dirty hovel filled with bubbling cauldrons, dusty cobwebs on equally dusty books, perhaps noxious piles of slime in the corner (after that one necromancer in Petelton, he wasn’t really surprised by that anymore) and other clear signs of witchery.  Instead, what they found was a neat, bright cabin with the last of the sun streaming through the small windows. A pot was bubbling on the pot-bellied stove in the corner (further investigation found it to be a rich stew) non-dusty books were found to have careful illustrations of various plants, with illegible handwriting beside them.  Some of those same plants could be found hanging in bundles from the ceiling to be dried. A small bed was tucked against the far wall, piled high with blankets and furs. A set of knitting needles and yarn were also unearthed, along with what were definitely half finished arrows. Alton wouldn’t be surprised if a sleepy cat was found curled at the foot of the bed.  

Bernard voiced the thought going through everyone’s mind,

“Are you sure we got the right place?  This is a big forest, there’s probably lots of tiny cabins scattered around.”

“No.” they all turned. “This is it.”  Stone-faced, Christoff held up different book, much older, and battered.  Runes were scattered along the pages, along with information on their properties, and how to go about using them. 

A further search of the cabin uncovered a multitude of magical objects; strange ingredients, more runic books, and a deck of tarot cards, clearly hand-painted in the same style at the plant drawings.  

“Well, we got a witch’s cabin, but no witch.” Kay remarked as they filed outside to further search the rest of the clearing.  

The beast ( _ “I think the kid said his name was Anik” _ ) was still looking for more plants to nibble at, so the decided to search the other two buildings.  The barn held nothing out of the ordinary except a bed of hay for the thing in the yard, another wood stove, and several oddly sinister looking chickens.  The weird hut on stilts had a huge hunk of meat, frozen in the cold, and a couple packages of dried meats. ( _ “Maybe it’s on stilts to keep it away from bears?” _ )  A sled and harness were also found leaned up against the side of the barn.  

“Huh.  Still nothing.” remarked Kay.  “Where d’ya think she’s at?” There was a lot of shrugging and shivering.  It was very cold out.

“Hey, y’all wanna come in!  This stew is great!” Bernard hollered from the cabin door, steaming bowl in hand.

 

“You  _ ATE  _ the witch’s  _ STEW _ ???  What in the Goddess’ name made you do that?  It could be poisoned for all you know! Are you feeling okay.  You blasted idiot!” Alton yelled, rushing over to his friend. Bernard looked mildly disappointed as the bowl was ripped from his hand, and said,

“No, no, it’s fine.  I’m fine. It’s just damn good stew.  Been cookin’ all day by my guess. Meat’s tenter as anything, well-spiced, and good hunks of potato.”  Alton stared at him in disbelief. 

“Look,” Bernard said after a long silence, “We’re all hungry and cold, there’s a nice warm meal, in a nice warm house right here.  Since I haven’t keeled over yet, let’s just sit and eat okay? We’ll figure out what to do after.” There were mumbles of agreement.  Alton sighed. He could feel the chill seeping into his bones as much as any man, and he was damn tired as well. 

“Fine,” he sighed, “Let’s go.  But eat quick. We don’t want to be caught with our pants down.”  Weary smiles and pats on the back followed as the men trooped into the small cabin once more.  As Alton turned to follow, Christoff tapped him on the shoulder.

“Uh, Cap’n.  Speaking of being caught with our pants down…?”  Alton rolled his eyes, gesturing towards a small shack with a moon carved into the doorway at the far edge of the yard.  

“Over there.” he groaned.

“Thanks.” Christoff muttered, red-faced, as he rushed away.  Alton sighed and went to join his men inside. He could use a hot meal. 

~~~~~~~~

The stew was gone. The witch had really only made enough for a couple people. which made sense, seeing as she lived alone. Fortunately, they were able to add a few more potatoes they found in the cupboards which filled it out quite nicely, and the bread they unearthed was great for mopping up the thick broth. The conversation had trickled off, the warm, happy feeling of a full belly was making everyone sleepy. It really was a nice little cabin, Alton thought, no neighbors, an isolated spot, peace and quiet. Yes, it really was very quiet. Looking out the window, he could see dusk had fallen, and a shape moving around in the twilight. He started, sitting up abruptly. Now he could here her too, her footsteps crunching through the snow, shattering the quiet of the woods. He whacked his neighbor, Kay, on the arm, motioned for him to be quiet, and pointed out the window. Kay's eyes widened, his face pale. The witch was home.

~~~~~~

Leisel made her way back through the woods. She knew this path well, and knew she was nearly home, where a warm dinner awaited her. The white spruce towered above her, making the dim twilight all the darker. So dark, in fact, that she could easily see the lights and movement inside her cabin. She stopped short, an awful, knotted sensation deep in her chest. ' _ So _ ', she thought, ' _ this is it _ '. In the span of a few seconds, several things happened. First, she noticed the dozen or so horses tethered to trees at the edge of the clearing. Second, the various equipment and insignia on the equipment, belonged to the KIngsguard. Third, the movement in her cabin had stopped. ' _ Oh, fuck me _ .' she thought. The door of her cabin burst open, and the soldiers poured out. Leisel turned on her heel and darted back into the forest.

Contrary to popular belief, snow was not quiet, not even powder. Snow only muffled sound while it was falling, by disrupting the sound waves as they traveled through the air. Unfortunately, it was not snowing, and Leisel's boots made a great crunching and creaking as she ran. Fortunately, it was almost dark, and Leisel knew these woods like the back of her hand, and the dark would make it more difficult for those men to follow her footprints. Making a split second decision, she jumped off the path and onto the deeper snow. Whispering a quick spell that would keep her from sinking down so much, she ran as silently as possible.

~~~~~~~

“Come on!” Alton yelled, “Now, before we lose her in the woods!” the men fumbled for their swords and the company burst out into the cold air once more.  A flash of movement caught his eye, and he saw the billowing of the witch’s cloak as she turned and ducked into the woods once more.

“Half of you, get the horses ready and follow us!  The rest will stay with her on foot! Hurry!” Saddling up would give the witch too much of a head start, but their mounts would also have the advantage of speed.  He sprinted across the clearing, trying to keep the witch in sight. He could hear her noisy footsteps in the snow, as sure as her could hear his. Suddenly, after a couple meters, she veered left, off the packed snow of the trail, into deeper snow.  

“Blast!” he muttered under his breath.  The horses wouldn’t be able to follow in the deep powder.  He looked behind him to see Kay arrive on his mount. His crossbow was slung over his back.  

“Kay,” Alton said, “Take the shot.”  Kay nodded once, lifted his weapon, and fired.  He was an excellent marksman, and worked well under pressure.  Alton knew his aim would be true. The bolt shot off into the night air, after the moving shadow of the witch.

Over his thundering heartbeat, pounding in his ears, Alton heard a muffled cry echo through the trees.

**~~~~~~~**

A heartbeat after she heard the tell-tale  _ Ker-thock!  _ of a crossbow firing, Leisel felt the bolt slam into her shoulder.  The force of it threw her to the ground and she felt an involuntary cry escape her lips.  She lay stunned for a minute, and let her breath come back to her. She heard a voice behind her yell,

“Reload!  Get after her!” and knew she had to keep moving.

Scrambling to her feet, Leisel fumbled for her pack, shifting it off her injured shoulder.  She gasped in pain as the strap caught the bolt still embedded in her flesh. There was more crunching and voices behind her, moving closer. 

She moved as quickly and quietly as possible, using the falling darkness and the black of her cloak to blend in with the dark trees, Leisel disappeared into the forest.

~~~~~~

Shockingly, the witch got up.  Alton heard himself yell something as he watched the slightly darker shadow in the dark trees lay still for a moment, then shakily get up to her feet.  As she staggered off into the darkness, his men rushed after her. Shoving their way through the deep snow, it became painfully obvious that there was little hope of finding her in the dark like this.  She had blended seamlessly into the shadows and the only thing they could do was use the light of the full moon to follow her tracks in the snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhh we got some DRAMA. On a completely unrelated note, in case you can't tell, Bernard is my favorite. What a guy, to walk into some yahoo's house and start eating their food. Truly an icon. Also, every story needs some comic relief or you just get sad. So thanks Bernard.


	5. V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeet, here we go lads.

Liesel didn’t know how far she ran. All she knew was that she had to get away. If those men caught her, she would eventually be dead, or worse. Through the haze of panic and pain (a seven-inch bolt stuck in one’s shoulder really hurt. Who knew?) she realized she had gotten turned around, and was standing at the treeline at the edge of the tundra. The moonlight illuminated the vast expanse of windswept snow. Realization struck her and her legs collapsed out from under her. They knew about her now, and wouldn’t stop chasing her. She wouldn’t make it to another town, not hurt like this. The tundra was just as barren as her future, bleak and empty. She bit back a sob, emotion welling in her chest. She couldn’t cry now, the tears would freeze her eyelashes closed. Sniffling, she also knew she couldn’t stay outside like this. The cold would kill her faster than the Kingsguard would. ‘Yeah, wouldn’t that be a shame.’ Liesel thought to herself. Sighing, she got up and hiked into the tundra a bit. She had the small tent in her bag that would keep her from immediately dying, but little food, and no water. But it was the best she had.   
Behind a small knoll, where she would be out of sight for anyone at the treeline, Liesel set up the small tent, crawled in and took stock of her situation. First, get the bolt out of her shoulder.   
“Ah, fuck!” she swore softly. At such an awkward angle, it would almost be better to leave it in and have someone else pull it out. Unfortunately, the only other person around would likely try to kill her again, so that was out of the question. In any case, with much cursing and wincing, she was able to get the bolt out of her arm. Thankfully, the tip wasn’t barbed like the last time she got shot. She still had the scar from where she had cut the tip out of her calf. Making use of her first aid kit, she wrapped up her shoulder with some herbs that would work with her own natural magic that would accelerate the healing process.   
Next, she nibbled on some jerky, thinking on her next move. Really, the only possible way out of this was if she was able to get back to her cabin (assuming they hadn’t left anyone there to stand guard) and restock before she fled West, further away from Fairmount and any other settlement. She would truly be isolated there, and would have to make her home from nothing. Leisel sighed. No point of worrying about that now, she couldn’t do anything until morning. Pulling her cloak tighter around her, she fell asleep, wondering whether or not the cold would make sure she didn’t wake up.  
~~~~~~~  
Dawn broke as the men of the 9th Company emerged from the witch’s cabin. It had been useless, trying to find her in the dark, so they had decided to wait until morning to follow the tracks again. Squinting in the sun, the men bundled up and made for the spot they had lost the witch the night before. In the light, they could see the trail of blood she left behind her follow the tracks. The men looked down at it with a sort of grim pleasure. It means she’s mortal. Nobody said it, but they all thought it, as they followed the trail. After a few hours, the trees became, smaller, more scraggly, and eventually they broke out onto the tundra.   
Alton knew where they were. From maps, the sea would be miles and miles beyond, this great empty plain.   
“Cap’n! Over here!” The relentless wind had swept away a good deal of her footprints, but shallow indents still remained.   
“They lead out there.” Christoff said grimly. Boreads, did she really try to cross this hellscape? If so, she was likely dead. When Alton voiced these concerns, Bernard shook his head.  
“Nah, look.” he pointed. Squinting through the sun reflecting off the snow, Alton could see the tracks curve around a small hill. Hiking towards it, they discovered a small tent, half buried in snow blown from the ground. There was no movement or sound from inside. Taking a deep breath, Alton stepped forward and unfastened the front flap.   
The interior was barely warmer than outside, his breath billowing around his face. There, laying still and white as a corpse, was the infamous witch of Fairmount.   
Bernard stuck his head in,  
“Looks pretty dead, sir” he said with little tact. Alton shot him a glare, before moving forward to make sure she wasn’t. Upon further inspection, her chest was rising and falling very slowly, and her skin was cold to the touch. Kay’s bolt was found along with some bloody cloths.   
“Well,” he announced, crawling out of the tent, “She’s not dead.” A pause. Nobody really knew how they were supposed to react. “But, she will be if we don’t get her back to town. Come on, get her up.” The men lifted the witch out of the tent. In the sunlight, she was dangerously pale, and her hair shone like spun gold. Her brow furrowed and she made a small noise of pain. The bandages on her shoulder began to bloom red.   
The jostling must have broken open the wound again and roused her.   
She blinked her eyes open and squinted in the bright light before all hell broke loose. She must have notice who surrounded her because not a second later she had flailed out of the shocked arms of the soldiers. Startled, they dropped her, and she fell on her injured shoulder with a sharp cry of pain. Still, she twisted to her feet and tried to sprint towards the woods before being tackled by Alton a few meters away.   
Her eyes, a rich, dark brown, were clouded with pain.  
“You’re not going anywhere, witch.” Alton growled, their faces inches apart.  
“Fuck you.” she snarled back, before her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out again. He hefted her limp body over his shoulder and turned to the group.   
“Right,” he panted, “let’s get back to town.”  
~~~~~~~  
They ended up binding her hands in front of her. There was some argument on whether or not it was necessary, seeing as she was unconscious, but it was eventually decided it wasn’t worth the risk. She was still unconscious when they reached the cabin, so they threw her over the back of a horse. Artur, their unofficial medic was worried she hadn’t woken up yet.  
“With how much blood she lost, combined with the cold, if she doesn’t wake up soon, she won’t wake up at all.” he said, voice grave. Alton nodded.  
“When we get back to Fairmount, we’ll get her warm and into some real bindings. These aren’t likely to hold her for long.” he gestured towards the rope around her wrists. There were special shackles designed to suppress a magic-users powers. It wasn’t a priority, but a precaution that would let them all sleep safer at night.   
~~~~~~  
Leisel felt the ground moving under her, a steady rocking motion she hadn’t felt in many years. Blinking open her eyes, she found herself flung over the back of a horse, hands ties in front of her. The dull ache in her shoulder told her that the herbs were working. She looked down. The snow passing by under the horse’s feet was still relatively uncompacted, meaning they hadn’t reached the main road yet. There was still time. Leisel turned her head slightly, trying not to give away she was awake. She was alone on the horse, a few men riding behind. She could easily slip off, but they would notice her. Then there was the messy business of her bound hands. Really, truely, she was fucked.   
She let herself ruminate on that thought for a little while, feeling sorry for herself. To pass the time, she listened to the conversations the soldiers were having.  
“Damn, look at those clouds. Think it’s gonna snow?”  
“Sure hope it don’t. That’ll make getting home that much difficult.”  
“I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news, but if it snows, we’ll likely be stuck in Fairmount for ‘round near a week till the roads clear up a bit.” Various groans and whining followed that statement. Another voice cut in,  
“Say, do we still have any of those sweet-buns? I’ve had a hankering for one all day.” this was from behind her.  
“Yeah, sure buddy, I got a couple left.” Out of the corner of her eye, Leisel saw the men behind her turn to face the man digging in his saddle-bag.   
Using the distraction to her advantage, she wriggled as quietly as possible off the horse.  
It was not the stealthy get-away she had hoped for. Liesel slid off the horse’s back, face-first into a snowbank. The horse startled at the sudden movement and whinnied loudly. The soldier’s heads jerked up to see Liesel’s ungraceful scramble to her feet.  
“Hey!” they shouted, as she made a break for it. Moments later, for the second time in twenty four hours, she was tackled to the snow.   
“Ow! Fuck, get off, deadweight!” she yelled as she was wrested to her feet. Clumps of snow were stuck in her hair, as she was basically dragged towards the main group. The man she vaguely remembered as the one who tackled her before stepped forward.   
“Witch,” he said, “You know why we’re here. The use of magic is strictly forbidden in the North Kingdom.” She smirked.  
“I thought the border was the edge of Fairmount. We’re technically in No-Man’s Land.” The man, she assumed he was their captain, scowled and said,  
“Yes, but we were called here for the use of magic in Fairmount. Fellow by the name of...” he reached into a pouch at his hip and pulled out a note, “..Earl Johansson.”  
Leisel swore violently,  
“That rat-bastard? He’s the one who turned me in? That goat-fucker? Of all the nosy, no-good, hypocrites, it was him?” The captain scowled some more.  
“What do you mean,’hypocrite’? Did he Practice too?” Leisel rolled her eyes.  
“No, his brother owned the apothecary in the next town. His stuff was shit, basically just dust bunnies and dried potato leaves. That stuff probably made ‘em even more sick. Coming after me just because mine actually work, that lousy-”  
“He reported you,” the Captain interrupted, “Because it’s the law, no matter what his brother does. Although,” he grimaced, “We should make a stop and arrest him for fraud.”  
Liesel just glared at him some more.   
“You know, this will never stop.” she said after a pause.  
“Pardon?”  
“This whole,” she raised her bound hands, “‘rid the land of magic’ plan. It’s everywhere. Woven through the stars and rivers. There’s always going to be more of us. You can’t stop it.” Her eyes were hard, like frozen coffee. Her face was still pale, making the dark bags under her eyes stand out even more. The captain glared down at her.  
“That may be so, Witch,” he growled, “But you won’t be part of it.”  
“My name,” she said, calm as can be, “is Liesel. And I don’t need to be.”   
The man snorted, and the men tied her hands to a lead on his saddle.  
“You’ll walk the rest of the way,” he paused, “Witch.”


	6. VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, we even more into the drama now. If your squicked out by gross stuff, this might set you off? IDK? Nothing horribly graphic I don't think? I can leave a summery below that should get you up to speed if you don't wanna risk it.

The walk back to Fairmount was silent after that. The witch, (Leisel, his mind supplied) was silent as she walked along beside him. Out of the corner of his eye, Alton watched her. Her dark eyes stood out sharply against her pale skin. Nobody was really tan up North, what with the lack of sun, but her pallor was almost unnatural. He noticed that her wheat colored hair fell nicely down her back, falling in loose curls and waves. He also tried not to notice the way her waist curved nicely into her wide hips, and the way her thick thighs were so well proportioned. His gaze fell on the dark lines of ink on her skin, forming shapes that aided her in magic. He could see them twist up the backs of her hands, up her wrists and under the sleeves of the loose tunic she wore, up on her collarbones, and the edges of a few sneaking down below the neckline. Alton felt the tips of his ears burn as he tore his gaze away. He should NOT be thinking of a captive this way, let alone a witch. He urged his horse a little faster, jerking the witch (Leisel) forward. She glared at him, but kept quiet.  
His eyes fell on the bandages around her shoulder, and then felt a little bad. Really, she hadn't done anything horrible. Although illegal, she HAD given the villagers medicines that actually worked. Still, magic was not to be trusted. At any point, this deceptively small woman before him could throw him from his horse and murder them all. Best to get her where her talents could be put to better use.  
Presently, the company arrived at the road. Alton breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, a warm bed, and they could get the witch in some real bindings. That, however,would have to wait. With mounting horror, Alton looked towards Fairmount, and the carnage that surrounded it.  
Plumes of dark smoke rose from shattered buildings, even from a distance, they could see the fires still burning.  
"Hya!" Alton shouted urging his horse into a gallop, forgetting about Leisel tied to his saddle. She fell, yanked forward with a grunt as he turned when he felt the weight of her dragging through the snow. Scowling, he reached down and pulled her up in front of him, where he could keep a restraining arm around her.  
When the 9th Company reached the smoldering town, they were met with an eerie stillness. The only noise was the crackling of the fire and occasional shifting of debris as the buildings further collapsed. The men's faces were shocked and confused. They had just been here less than twenty four hours ago. What had happened?  
"Spread out! Look for any survivors!" barked Alton, face grim. Leisel squirmed in his grip.  
"I can help if you let me." she said, "I could save lives."  
"Or you could end mine. Not a chance." he replied, and tightened his grip on her wrists.  
"Fine. What does it matter that I've spent years helping these people. Obviously it was all part of my master plan to kill them by trading at fair prices. Gosh, it's such a secret plot even I didn't know about it, but you, oh mighty captain, managed to discern what was REALLY happening. What chance did I ever stand-" Alton cut her off suddenly.  
"Shut up, I hear something." They both paused, listening intently. They both heard it, a soft whimper from under a crumpled roof. Alton leapt off his horse, and started digging through the rubble. Finally he uncovered the woman from the general store.  
"Please.." she whispered, "help" Leisel's head shot up.  
"Anka?" she slid off the horse, dropping to her knees beside the other woman. "Are you allright? What hurts?" she ran her hands over her friend's body, searching for wounds. Alton shoved her back, but she leaned forward again.  
"No, I can help, let me help I'm her friend." her voice took on a more desperate note. "Please." she looked up at him, almost begging.  
"...Leisel?" Anka's weak voice pulled their attention back to the injured party.  
"Yes, Anka, I'm here, I'm going to help you." Leisel murmured, checking her friend for wounds.  
"No, Leisel, you need to go, you need to run. You can't stay here, they'll get you, you need to run!" Anka's raspy voice rose in pitch and urgency. Alton grabbed her shoulder and asked,  
"Who's here? Who did this?" The town was in shambles. He had no idea how this could have happened. Anka interrupted again,  
"The South! Leisel you need to run! Go, please!"  
Leisel's face went white. The South. She sat back on her heels, running her bound hands over her face. 'Fuck'  
It was well known that the North was hostile to magic users. It was even better known that the South was even worse. Mothers of young magic users told stories, 'If you don't hide your magic, the South will come and take you away.' They would be burnt at the stake, drawn and quartered, beaten to death and all manners of slow, painful tortures. Worse still, rumor was that their powers were ripped from their bodies and used to further the agenda of their king, leaving them little more than a vegetable that could feel pain. Without the natural energy in their bodies, their body would slowly atrophy, leaving them to a slow painful death, the aching, hollow feeling echoing in their minds.  
Alton watched as the witch seemed to freeze, a shaking hand moving to her chest, as though it hurt. Of course he had heard what the South did to magic folk, but clearly there was something he didn't know.  
But the South! This far into the Northern territory. He thought back to their company's journey North. There had been no sign of Southern invasion, and they had only been gone a day.  
"The mountains." a hollow voice to his left. Leisel was hugging her knees to her chest, silent tears slipping down her face. "There's a pass to the West of here through the mountains. Leads right out to Fairmount. It's how I got here." Horror swept through Alton's body.  
"They're attacking from both sides. From the South and the North. There's almost no Kingsguard up here." Leisel sniffled and said,  
"Yeah, that's why I came here. Didn't work so well, hey?" she smiled weakly.  
"Leisel." Anka grabbed at her wrists again. "You need to run. You know what they'll do to you"  
"I know, but I can't just leave you here." she replied.  
"You can. You have to."  
"No." the witch was almost sobbing at this point, clutching her friend's bloody hand to her chest. Alton felt as though he was intruding on a private moment, and moved away. What he saw then spurred him into action once more.

“We have to leave. Now.” he grabbed Liesel under an arm, and hauled her up.  
“No! I can’t leave her!” she thrashed in his grip.  
“You can! They’re coming! You have any idea what they’ll do to you?” dragging her back towards the waiting horse, he cast a glance at the approaching soldiers.   
“What do you care? You’re here to do the exact same thing.” she wrenched herself away from him. “You’re no better.” she spat, eyes shining with rage. The soldiers had spotted them and closing in fast.  
“No, we’re not. I’ll explain later, but right now, you’re likely our only chance of getting out of this alive.” he gestured to his horse again. “Please, we need to hurry.”  
Casting one last longing glance at the prone body of her friend, Leisel turned jumped on behind the Captain.   
“Go. I’ll keep them off us.” she said, brown eyes huge and serious.   
Alton dug his heels into the horse’s flanks, kicking them into a gallop. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Leisel push up her sleeves, baring forearms littered with dark runes. After a few moments, her tattoos lit up a lurid green and a bolt of light the same color shot from her palms. It scattered the enemy horsemen, throwing some of them backwards several feet. As they rode out of town, they were joined by the rest of the Company, all running from the Southern soldiers.  
He felt one of her muscled arms slip around his waist.  
“Do you still have my bag?” he flinched, her voice inches away from his ear. He felt her warm breath ghost over his neck. He shook his head, this was no time for those thoughts.  
“Christoff has it,” he grunted, “Christoff! She needs her bag!” Alton shouted to him. Christoff looked confused, but wasn’t about to disobey his commander in a time like this. Across the narrow gap between their moving steeds, he tossed the pack over to Liesel.   
After digging through it for a moment, she withdrew a pouch which held several different dried plants. They thundered past the treeline, into the woods once more.   
Turning as much as she could without slipping off the horse, Liesel crumbled the plants in her fist. She whispered several words Alton couldn’t quite hear (he was sure it wasn’t Common though) into her closed fist before blowing the plants behind them. The dust seemed to hover in the air, and shimmer as it began to form an illusion of the blank treeline, obscuring any trace they had ever been there. As she had turned, her arm had dug further into his waist, and her legs were flush with his. He tried not to blush. ‘Really,’ he thought to himself, ‘This is not the time.’   
“That should throw them off for a bit.” Liesel said in his ear again. Alton tried to keep from shivering.   
“We should head to my cabin. I have food, and can cast another screen around us so they won’t find it.” Alton jerked his head in affirmation. Relaying the orders to his company, the group rode deeper into the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight, so basically, the fearsome Southern Kingdom had invaded through a pass in the mountains to attack the Northern Kingdom (those are some real original names, huh?) and they have ransacked the town. Leisel's friend Anka is found mortally wounded, and Anka tells Leisel and Alton that it's the South who have done this. It is revealed that the South basically either torture magic-users to death or drain their magic leaving their body to rot away. After this, the South show up and Leisel and co. have to skedaddle or be horribly killed. Anka is tragically left to die of internal hemorrhaging. During their escape, Leisel and Alton agree that they have to help to protect the North Kingdom against the South, and Leisel preforms some neat magic to help the Company escape into the woods.  
> So yeah. Enjoy.


	7. VII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which we get a little bit of romance, some good ol' angst, a gr8 tragic backstory.

Her friend was probably dead, Leisel decided as they rode through the woods. Occasionally, she would point Alton which way to go, but mostly, she thought about how her magic had felt the massive internal hemorrhaging. Anka would not have survived long, if the Southern soldiers hadn’t killed her first. Leisel wiped away the tears that threatened to fall. Anka had been the first to accept her when she first came to town, the first to give her a kind smile, the first to ask her name, the first to treat her like a person in so long. To think that she was never going to see her again almost made Leisel break down all over again. She allowed herself a moment to cry, silent sobs wracking her frame, tears slipping down her cheeks, freezing in the cold. If the Captain felt her shake, he gave no indication.   
After a few minutes, she sniffled and sat up straighter behind the captain. Her she tried to make her face as hard as stone, hoping it would encourage her insides to do the same. It worked a little bit. As they rode through the trees, she couldn’t help but notice the firmness of the captain’s torso against her arms, and how nice he smelled, like leather and the oil she knew men sometimes used in their beards. His beard was very nice, she thought. It looked good on his face, which, she observed, was also very nice. He had short, dark hair, a neatly-groomed beard, and lovely hazel eyes. Her mother had hazel eyes, she remembered from a distant memory. ‘Really,’ she thought, ‘It’s too bad he’d kill me if didn’t need me.’ She wondered if she shouldn’t be this cozied up to his (very warm, broad) back, but eventually decided this was likely the first and likely last human contact in her foreseeable life. ‘Eh, it’s not like I’m gonna fall in love with him. Just enjoy it while it lasts.’ she told herself.  
~~~~~~  
Alton was exhausted. He hadn’t slept well in the witch’s cabin the night before, worried and waiting for her to attack. Now, watching her repeat the ritual from before around the perimeter of the clearing, he wondered how she was even still upright. She had come from the woods with several birds over her shoulder, clearly she had spent the day hunting. The had chased her several miles through the woods, a bolt through her shoulder, and the only rest she had gotten was when she was unconscious. That really didn’t count though. Alton paused, turning to face her again. She blew the last fistfull of herbs into the air, creating the light shimmering of the illusion.   
“Your shoulder.” he said.  
“Hm?” she turned to face him.  
“Your shoulder. Kay shot you. How is it?” blinking, he remembered, “We tied you up as well. I didn’t cut you free.” he took an involuntary step back. She snorted  
“It’s cute that you think ropes can hold me. Nothing short of iron can hold me.” he just stared, wide-eyed.  
“I’m kidding, geez.” she reached down into her boot and pulled out a tiny knife, no bigger than his pinky. “I used this. You people are ridiculous.” She slid the blade back into her boot.  
“But what about your shoulder. There’s no way you should be able to move that freely. I saw the wound.” he said, still reeling from the fact she had been armed the whole time.  
“Ah,” she said, pulling her shirt down. Alton tried very hard not to look at the curve of her breast as it was exposed. She pulled aside the bandages, showing a bit of dried blood and plants, and a scar where the wound had been.  
“It’s just herbs that focus my internal energy on fixing it. I can do it for others, but I have to actually focus and it’s a lot more taxing.” She pulled up her shirt again and Alton breathed a sigh of relief.  
~~~~~~  
Leisel let out a sigh of relief as she stepped into the barn. There stood Anik, grumpy she hadn't come by to say hello all day.  
"I know, you need attention to live." she ruffled his ears, cooing softly to him, "And it is my duty to provide you with scritches and comfort otherwise you shall surely perish." He snorted. "Yeah, you're fine." she laughed. He moved to lay down in his bed of hay, and she sat down beside him. Goddess, her bones ached. The facade she had put on for the Kingsguard lay abandoned at the door of the barn when she had come in. It wasn't easy, making illusions, on a good day, and certainly not after healing such a wound and spending a night in the cold. It was so tempting to just fall asleep against Anik, lulled to sleep by the rise and fall of his breathing. Surely closing her eyes for one minute wouldn't hurt...  
The angry squalling of the chickens awoke her. The captain (really, she should learn his name) was sprawled over the chicken coop, clearly having tripped in the dark. 'It shouldn't be dark yet, it's only...' Fuck, she'd fallen asleep.  
"Can I help you?" , she asked, "Or do you just want to harass my chickens some more. I warn you, I think they hold grudges." He had the grace to look apologetic.  
"Oh, no. Uh, I was just, uh.." he was looking anywhere but her face, and turning a bright red. Eventually getting to his feet, he cleared his throat. "No, it's just; it's about dinner time, and we don't really know where you keep anything and we couldn't find you so we thought maybe you.."  
"Had left? Without and supplies? I'd be dead by nightfall. If I was going to leave, there would be noticeable piles of stuff missing. Keep up, Captain." Leisel tossed over her shoulder as she stepped out of the barn. "You want dinner? You gotta help make it. I'm not cooking for ten people by myself." She turned to face him. "You coming?" He seemed to stare for a moment, then shook his head.  
"Yes! Of course. What do you need help with?"

His name was Alton, she learned. One of the men yelled across the yard,  
“Hey, Alton! Where’d she say the rest of the potatoes were?” The captain, Alton, was helping her cut a hunk of the frozen meat off the half moose in the cache. The frigid temperatures kept everything frozen for the winter, and she needed a hacksaw to cut some off. He held the carcass still while she sawed.   
“Um, where do you keep the potatoes?” he asked.  
“Oh, dug in a hole in the barn. It’s cool enough there that they don’t go bad, but not cold enough to freeze ‘em. Should be far left corner, under some planks.” she said.  
“Far left corner in the barn! In a hole!” Alton bellowed back.  
“What?!”  
“FAR LEFT CORNER-”   
“Boread’s balls, just go tell him yourself!” Leisel snapped, “This is too small a space for yelling. We’re done anyway.” she grumbled, rubbing her ears.  
Alton had the grace to look sheepish.  
“Sorry. So, uh, where do you want this?”, he hefted the chunk of meat.   
“Well, I have to go show your idiots where the potatoes are at, so you need to keeps sawing that into little chunks.” she held the saw out to him. “After you’re done, they can go in the big pot on the stove. If there isn’t already water in it, then just melt some snow. Not the yellow stuff.” she added that last part with a bit more force than was necessary, climbing down the rickety ladder. “Got it?” He nodded,  
“Yes, ma’am.” then seemed to shake himself, like he didn’t know why he said that. “Er, Liesel. Whatever.” She snorted as he turned to his work.   
On the ground once more, she turned to see the other soldiers looking through the piles of firewood.  
“Hey! I said in the barn, not the wood! That’s balanced very carefully, watch it!” Sighing, Leisel prepared herself for a very long evening.  
~~~~~~~~~  
By the time Alton had gotten the meat cut into neat cubes, the potatoes had been retrieved and were being peeled and chopped. He stepped inside the cozy hut, grateful to be in from the cold. His beard had started to collect frost, that he brushed off as he shut the door behind him.  
"Hey, Cap'n!" Bernard said, waving from his seat at the narrow counter. Almost all of his soldiers were sat around it, making themselves useful, either peeling or cutting potatoes into bite sized chunks. Alton was shocked. Never, in all his years with these men, had they ever made themselves useful at anything. It was shocking to see them do so now.  
"Oh good, meat's here! Throw it in the water. It had to cook through before we add the potatoes." There was Leisel, finally without the heavy cloak, her hair up in a messy knot at the top of her head. It looked soft,and he kind of wanted to touch it. He shook himself. 'Really', he thought, 'this has got to stop.' But she looked so warm in the lantern light, and following the line of her neck he could see another tattoo, snaking up from her back, behind her ear. Even as soft and warm as she looked now, he could see the sturdiness of her build. Some people looked as though a stiff breeze could snap them in half, but Leisel looked the opposite of that. Well-muscled arms and legs and a short torso gave the idea a boulder could roll her way and she could stop it by planting her feet.  
"Alton? Are you alright?" she asked, peering at him from her stool where she was braiding plants together into short, stiff ropes. Clearing his throat, he said,  
"Yes, just- tired is all. I'm not used to the cold here either." he dumped the cubed meat into the pot.  
"I wasn't either, at first", she laughed, "it takes a while for the cold to seep into your bones. Took me a couple years to really get a handle on it."  
"Where did you come from?" he asked. Her smile faded a little,  
"Oh, a little village in the West Mountains. You wouldn't know it, little no-name place. You?" she asked, voice tight and careful.  
"The capital, Isholt. Why'd you leave?" With his answer, her face seemed to shut down even more.  
"The same reason everyone leaves small towns, I suppose. To see the world, to escape the people you've been stuck with all your life." Her hands were quiet now, still in her lap. "You can imagine I wasn't exactly welcome there. It was a good thing, leaving." She looked off into the distance, her eyes miles away. The cabin had gone quiet, all listening to the witch speak.  
"Then you ended up here, eh?" Kay asked after a pause. She cracked a smile, a broken, cold little thing that stole across her face.  
"No, I traveled South to the capital, actually. I thought it'd be easier to hide within so many people. Lose myself in the crowd, y'know?" she paused, and sighed, "Well, that didn't work. My control wasn't so good back then, didn't have all these," she gestured to one of her many runes, "Eventually I attracted to much attention, so I left. Bounced around for a while until-" she stopped short. Alton noticed her hands were shaking. "Well, eventually I'd had enough of running. I knew the stories that people tell about the North, and what they believe about magic, and figured it was my best bet. There were just fewer people here too. Less people to have trouble with." She seemed to shake herself, and straightened up. "But! Now's not the time for boring stories. The meat should be done, so we can put everything else it. How's the potatoes coming?"  
The soldiers fumbled, having stopped in their work to listen. 'Clearly' Alton thought as Leisel yelled at them for holding up dinner, 'she's been through a lot.' He sighed. Magic was dangerous, chaotic. But Goddess, she must be about the same age as him! He couldn't imagine how young she must have been when she'd left her home. Was magic really such a crime that she should be forced from her home? Distantly, he heard her calling; dinner was ready. No, he steeled himself. She had hurt people, and if it weren't for the Southern invaders, she would be on her way to Isholt in chains. He noticed the ghost of an old scar running along one cheek that only made her more beautiful 'No matter how pretty she is' he thought sternly to himself, blushing. Then he went and got some of the excellent stew. It was dinner time after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a somewhat lighter note, I really want Leisel and Alton to get together already, but at the same time, they can't just fall in love immediately. Where's the fun in that? Also it's really not realistic for them, cause they're kinda enemies sorta. I'm so tooorrrnn. D: By whatever, you guys have to suffer too. :D


	8. VIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look! Even MORE backstory! Yeeha boys. Also we get a little dark, but oh well. It be like that sometimes. Enjoy.  
> (Also pls comment let me know what could be improved)

Leisel sighed as she finally stepped through the door, stomping the snow from her boots. The soldiers were situated in the barn with Anik (he had not appreciated having to share his space and had made his opinion known by spitting in Simon’s face) and she had renewed the illusions around the clearing. Groaning, she shucked off her leggings and streched. Goddess, she was sore. She was exhausted, and crawling into bed right now sounded like just what she needed. Dimming the lanterns, she crept under the mountain of covers and closed her eyes.

They came with pitchforks and torches. Amma had felt them battering the wards, and urged her to pack what she could.   
“Take it child! Take it all! I’ll hold them off while I can.” the old woman rolled up her sleeves, knobbly old hands decorated with faded tattoos.   
“Amma, no, I can’t! They’ll kill you, let me help!” she cried. Amma shook her head, eyes wide and frantic,  
“No! You must run!” the door burst open, and the mob rushed in, an surrounding her, grabbing her, beating her. Harsh clubs bludgeoned her to the ground, and kicks rained down upon her. Eventually they tied her down, strung so far out, her joints hurt and she saw people she knew amongst the crowd. The man from Wilnson laid his lash across her back, the woman from Isholt slashed her with the carving knife, and the mob from Eilsen burned her with hot irons. A new face emerged, Alton, in armor bearing the King’s seal. He brought forth his sword and stabber her through the stomach. She through her head back, howling. It wouldn’t stop, the pain, the voices yelling to confess, repent, to die. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man stab Amma through the chest with his pitchfork. She screamed.

Liesel shot up, gasping. She felt tears run down her cheeks as her breath stuttered. Choking sobs tore their way out of her chest as she felt the dream wash over her. Her hands found the places their weapons had marked her body, leaving scars in their place, a grim reminder of what had happened. She remembered that day. Finally, after so long running, kindly old Amma had taken her in, fed her, and taught her. The nearby town had caught wind, and came in the night. Amma had bid her leave, given her the most important of her books and tools, but she was too late. The mob had arrived, and fell upon them, bloodlust in their eyes. Liesel had been beaten to the floor when Amma had been killed. She remembered a great pain in her chest, and screaming as it ruptured. When she woke, the hut had been destroyed, the bodies of her attackers scattered in pieces. Amma was dead. She had taken the books and run.   
The dreams were always some variation on that. Sometimes the people who had come after her in the other towns were among them, beating her with their own weapons. Alton was a new face. It was a sobering reminder that no matter what, when this was over, she would be in the same place as always. Running, or dead.  
~~~~~~~~  
Leisel didn't go back to sleep. The dreams would keep coming, and they would get worse. Instead, she began to sort through her cabin, compiling the items she couldn't leave behind. The books from Amma, her tarot deck, the books she had written, warm clothes, and packets of seeds. What was left was an assortment of dishes, knick-nacks and everything else. She crept out into the barn; the extra bags she would need were stored in the loft. Leisel tried to be as quiet as possible, so as not to wake the soldiers. The lantern washed the loft with a golden light as she rifled through the old blankets and cobwebs.  
Sighing, she climbed back down the ladder. Even though she couldn't see over the bags in her arms, she had walked this path many times, and knew the way. Trying to be quiet really didn't work out so well when she bumped into another moving body.  
"Ow!" It came out louder than she's have liked in the quiet barn. Her swift, sure steps were a disadvantage now, as her momentum turned against her and threw her to the ground. As she looked up. Alton stood there, in loose pants and shirt, rubbing his chin. A spot on her head throbbed where they had connected.  
"What are you doing up? You should be sleeping!" she hissed. He looked at her accusingly, and whispered,  
"What are you doing up? you should be sleeping! From the looks of it, I'd say you're packing up and leaving us here to die!" his voice rose with every word, and she shushed him quiet.  
"Shhhhh! You'll wake the others!" Leisel frantically tried to get him to quiet down.  
"Why? Shouldn't they know that they're being left to stand alone? Shouldn't they know you're not only a criminal but also a deserter? Hey! Fellas! Wouldn't you like to know-" his voice was cut off when her hand clapped over his mouth, the runes on her hand glowing dark green.  
"You," she fumed, "Need to be quiet. I am not deserting you. I am not running. Not now. I've run all my life, but I am not running now." She removed her hand from his mouth, and she say him try to talk, mouth moving soundlessly. His hand went to his throat and he looked at her with fear and anger in his eye.  
"Relax," she said bitterly, "It's only temporary. So's all of this." she gestured around, "All I'm doing is preparing. In the off-chance I'm not dead by the end of this, and manage to get away from you people, I'll have to find a new place. Leave all this behind. But what I can bring, I will, so shut up, and let me believe that I'll live to do so." she sighed, and wiped away the few tears from her cheeks.  
"Go to sleep Captain. I promise I'll be here in the morning. If I'm not feel free to hunt me down and kill me." She snatched up her bags from the ground and left the barn, leaving a speechless Alton standing in the doorway.  
~~~~~~~~  
The sound of the barn door creaking open was what woke Alton up. He was still on edge from the witch hunt, chase, and the surprise attack of the Southern forces and he wasn't the heaviest sleeper on a good day. He watched through slitted eyelids as Leisel crept through the barn and up into the loft, the soft glow of the lantern through her cheekbones into high relief and her hair shine like polished brass. Her dark eyes still stood out starkly against her skin. He allowed himself a moment to take her all in, the curve of her waist and hips, the corded muscle in her arms, and the softness of her thighs. She was dressed for bed, which is to say, not much, and he could see the runes went up her legs under the long shirt she wore as a dress.  
When she disappeared into the loft and started rummaging around, hunting for whatever it was she was looking for, he used the noise to cover up his movement, and he got up and moved closer. She slunk down from the loft, and his brow furrowed. Her behavior was incredibly worrying, and the bags she came down with only confirmed his suspicions. She was leaving them, saving her own hide, and leaving theirs to the wolves. He prepared to confront her. He wasn't prepared for her to be walking so quickly. Her quick steps propelled her into him faster than he had expected. Hurt and betrayed, he lost his temper. Sitting there next to a strange, shaggy beast with no voice certainly put things into perspective. Alton didn't want to admit it, but seeing the witches magic up close, to have it used on him, was terrifying. But the hurt he saw in Leisel's eyes when he had accused her of all those things, when he had backed away in fear, was even more profound. The revelation that no matter what, Leisel would be uprooted from her home, and not for the first time, was startling. Her flippant attitude about her own death also shocked him. Christoff suddenly sat up.  
"Alton, I heard everything." he said, eyes soft. He only ever used Alton's name when he had something important to say. After a time he said, "Listen, my Mam had to pack up and move once, during her childhood, and always told us it was the worst thing in the world. She had to leave everything behind, everything familiar, every part of home. It devastated her. And Leisel, she's had to do it many times over. I know it's not my place, but I think we should give her the benefit of the doubt here. She let us in knowing there's no way out for her. I think that means something."  
Even if Alton hadn't been at a loss for words, he wouldn't have been able to say anything. ‘Perhaps’, he thought, ‘this might be what Leisel feels like.’ Instead, he nodded to Christoff, and laid back down. It wouldn't do to be poorly rested when the South came.


	9. IX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More devil chickens! Also more Bernard nonsense. This is a pretty light chapter, mostly just filler till exciting stuff happens. Some planning is done.

Dawn came late, as it is like to do so close to the solstice. But the group couldn't wait for it. There was too much to do. Leisel had woken Alton up when the sky was still inky black, stars wheeling slowly across it. The perfect circle of the full moon looked as though someone had punched a hole through space for a peek at whatever was beyond. Alton woke to a hand shaking his shoulder.

"It's time to get up. Can you wake the rest? I've got to get breakfast going and someone has to feed the chickens and collect the eggs if there are any." she whispered. He nodded blearily. She left, closing the barn door softly behind her. Groaning, he rose to his feet and stretched, joints popping. While cozy hay in a warm-ish barn wasn't the worst place he'd slept, it also wasn't the best. Sighing, he started to rouse his fellow soldiers.

"Christoff." he shook the other man's shoulder, "Wake up. It's time to get moving." Once he got a response (even if it was just a muffled groan) he moved to the next man.

"Bernard, wake up." he nudged the lump under a blanket with his boot. As the other man sat up, blinking, Alton said to him, "Can you feed the chickens and check for eggs? I've got to get the rest of them moving." he hooked his thumb behind him towards the other silent lumps. Bernard yawned, but nodded and shambled towards the coop. Alton moved around the barn, waking his sleeping men. The air still contained a slow, sleepy feeling to it, the quiet of early morning.

It was all shattered when Bernard screamed as the hens seemed to attack him all at once, clucking and flapping their wings, making a great deal of noise.

"Gah!" Bernard spat feathers out of his mouth, "Those birds-" _ spit _ "-are like nothing-"  _ spit _ "-I've ever seen before! Barely lifted the roof when they jumped at me!" he exclaimed. Leisel poked her head back in.

"Yeah, they'll do that. Probably should've warned ya." she grinned. "Any eggs?"

"You want me to stick my hand back in there?  With the devil-birds?" Bernard said, looking more afraid than a trained soldier should be when faced with a surly chicken. Leisel shrugged,

"Yeah, if you don't want cold water and ten-year-old jerky for breakfast." Bernard stuck his hands back in the coop. The subsequent ruckus woke even the sleepiest man in the barn. It was, Alton thought, an excellent wake-up call.

~~~~~~~~~~

 

The eggs had been cooked, the men had been fed, and Anik had gotten a well deserved brushing. The cabin been small when just Leisel lived there, so it was downright packed with ten-plus fully grown men inside. So they moved into the barn, where Anik had nibbled Leisel's sleeve until she finally relented and grabbed his brush.

"So", she said, as tufts of hair began to float off of the beast and into the air with the force of the brushing, "what's the plan? We don't know how many Southern troops there are, they probably outnumber us five-to-one , we don't have any reinforcements, and our only advantage is that they don't know where we're hiding." Everyone sort of looked at each other as they realized just what a deep pile of shit they had landed themselves in.

"I'm just gonna say it. I don't like those odds, and we're most likely fucked." Bernard announced. This statement was met with name-calling and several objects thrown at his head. "Well, I just think it's best we get this sort of thing straight. I don't want to be in the middle of a fight and have my backup soil his drawers because he just realized he's fucked." he said, rubbing the spot where someone's boot had connected.

"Bernard's right. There isn't any easy way out of this." Alton said, "I did some thinking last night," Leisel didn't miss the way his eyes slid over to her as he said this, "And we won't be able to hold the South off." He drew a breath, and a grim silence filled the empty space. "But we can stall long enough for a horseman to get reinforcements from the outpost just West of Cleary." Alton pulled out a map, and pointed to a dot with a circle around it. "If we can stop them from advancing South, just until the men from Cleary arrive, then we'll have time to notify the capital. With any luck, they won't make it much further than they are now." Leisel's heart sank. Logically, she knew they would have to call on the capital for reinforcements, but she'd clung to the hope that she would be able to remain out of their eye. But there was no way she wouldn't be mentioned in any report sent to Isdal. While Alton could say she had escaped in the confusion of war, her aide, magical or not, would be impossible to gloss over. She kept her face stony as it was decided a young man named Robb would go to Cleary.

"We'll need a distraction though," said Alton, "so Robb can get through unseen. We can't let them know we have help coming." Leisel cleared her throat, and said,

"I can do a distraction." The men turned to face her.

"How distracting?" Alton pressed. Her lips cracked in a bitter, humorless grin.

"Pretty damn distracting. I'll need some things though; and it'll have to wait for the Solstice. I'm stronger then. But in the meantime, I've got some ideas."

"What exactly do you mean, we can't wait until the Solstice! Thats-" Alton had to stop and think about it. Leisel interrupted,

"Day after tomorrow. We can stall them for two days. Set fire to a few things, go in the night, sabotage things. Make them as pissed off as possible. We'll get 'em good and riled up, lead 'em on wild goose chases, where 'em down." Alton must have looked skeptical, because Bernard piped up,

"It could work, Cap'n. We'll catch 'em with their pants down, get in and out before they know what's happening. Small groups, fast and light." Alton nodded.

"We'll need to know where their base is, and what the layout's like. Plan what to hit and how." his eyes swept around the assembled men. "Kay, Patterson, I need you to find where their base is. Take a couple others with you, don't get lost. It's bad enough we're outnumbered as it is, we don't need you dying and leaving us worse off."

"There's a hill a little ways South of here. I got a map you can borrow. You should be able to see most of the valley if it doesn't cloud up. Get moving though, it'll get dark faster than you think." Leisel said, motioning for them to follow. As they left, Alton turned to the rest of the group.

"Bernard, as much as it pains me to say this, go wild. We need whatever destructive tendencies you have, now more than ever." Alton sighed. Bernard gasped,

"Cap'n! Does this mean?"

"Yes, you can use as many pyrotechnics as you want."

"Yes!" Bernard yelled, fist pumping the air.

"Enlist the others. They'll help and make sure you don't burn this place to the ground. Right?" he addressed the rest of the soldiers. They all nodded furiously, remembering what had happened last time Bernard was allowed to experiment without supervision.

"You'd better not be burning my barn down. You're not sleeping in the cabin, and I'd hate to see you sleep out in the cold." Leisel walked in with a wry smile.

"Oh, no. I'll be careful ma'am. Don't you worry." Bernard stuttered.

"Good. I'd be sad if you froze to death." she said, moving to harness Anik.

"Really?" Bernard asked.

"No." she deadpanned. Alton glowered at her,

"Where are you going?" he asked. She rolled her eyes,

"I need some things for the spells I'm going to be using. I have a lot here but the trapping cabin has a few ingredients I haven't moved yet. Plus, some need to be picked fresh, so I'll need those." He still glared suspiciously at her. She sighed and said, "Do you need to come with me?"

"I might."

"Fine. Is that the warmest thing you've got?" he nodded and she flung another cape at him, made from some sort of wool, finely knit, and softer than he'd expected. "There. That should keep you from freezing to death." She saw his quizzical look, and said, "It's from Anik. He sheds like hell in the summer and I might as well make some use for it. Hollow hairs keep the warmth in." She shrugged her own cloak on, and tugged her mittens on tighter. They stepped out of the barn and into the cold, clear air. She finished hooking Anik up to the sled, and hopped onto the front of it, before saying, "We'll be back sometime tomorrow. Anything you wanna tell them before we go?" Alton turned towards the barn and yelled,

"We'll be back tomorrow! If you can, try a raid tonight. See what trouble you can scare up!" he stepped onto the low seat beside Leisel.

"Ready?" she asked. When he nodded, she flicked the reins and yelled "Aye! Get moving lard-head!" Anik grunted, and away they went, deeper into the still, silent woods.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like we might be advancing the romance a little fast, but what do y'all think? Lemme know how I'm doing? Kinds flying blind here but what else is new. Thanks for reading!


	10. X

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, don't you just love the 'sharing-a-bed-for-warmth' trope?

The sky was darkening. After a few hours in the sled, Leisel had hopped out and suggested they run beside it for a bit.

"Keeps the blood moving so you don't get too cold too fast." she said. So they ran in silence for a while, the cold, dry air chilling their lungs as it swept in, and emerging as plumes of mist, that turned orange as the sun dipped towards the horizon.

Finally, Leisel stopped.

"What exactly are we doing here? It's getting dark and you said we'd freeze to death if we stayed out after dark." Alton said, pointing at the quickly disappearing sun.

"There's a lichen that grows on trees on ley lines. I'll need some more if you want that distraction to happen." she stepped under the boughs of a spruce tree, where the branches had been protected from the snow. Reaching up, she yanked off a tuft of grey-green stringy lichen. "This is the closest spot between the cabin and the trap line. I won't be long, and it's only another hour to the trap cabin." She pulled out a small pouch and started filling it with the plant. "If you're worried about the time, you could help." she flashed him a cheeky grin.

"I'm not  _ worried _ ! I just- You made such a big deal- Oh, never mind." he spluttered, but reached up to help collect it anyway. "What is this big distraction anyway. What's so special about the Solstice that you need for it to happen then?" he asked.

"Well," she said, "It's a turning point. The days stop getting shorter, they start getting longer. A focal point, where the scale tips in the opposite direction. It's a time where the tide turns." she paused, and continued, "Also, the sun's at its weakest, which makes all other magics stronger." She saw his confused look and elaborated, "There's always the same amount of energy, but it's just distributed differently. Like sand in an hourglass. There's always the same amount of sand, but it's just in a different place. During the Summer Solstice, people who are better with sun and light and heat energy have the advantage, but the Winter Solstice is the time for the darker magics, like cold, moon, and celestial energy." Alton bristled,

"Dark magic?" his brow furrowed.

"No, no, it's not _Darke_ magic, just dark magic. The feelings you get when you look up at a night sky and see the stars and the moon and feel the wind in your hair and hear it move through the trees? The stillness of a winter day? That's dark magic, that lives in quiet, dark places. Darke magic is awful and noxious and poisons everything it touches. They're very different." Leisel rattled off. Alton was quiet for a time, then said,

"So, which are you?"

"Pardon?"

"Which magic, Summer or Winter?"

"Okay, I oversimplified a lot, there's tons of different energies and factors about what someone specializes in and what effects that, and what planets are doing what, and a whole lot of variables. Lucky for you, I'm a Jack-of-all Trades kinda gal. I don't really have strong point, but I'm good at working with what's available. Like now," she said, holding up the full bag of lichen, "I have plants and a Solstice. Everything I need. Now let's get moving, before we freeze to death." she marched back towards the sled where Anik was systematically nibbling the bark off of twigs.

"I thought you said that wouldn't happen!" Alton squawked. Her laughter filled the still air as they continued on, sun slipping below the horizon, the first stars appearing in the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~

When they finally reached the cabin, if was full dark, moon high and round in the sky, and stars sprayed along the inky blackness beyond. It was also very, very cold. Alton's shoulders sagged with relief when the little building came into view. Tucked into a thick copse of trees, half buried in the snow, it was a shabby little thing, but it was a way to get out of this infernal cold.

The sled glided to a stop, and Leisel hopped out.

"Head on in, try to get the fire started." she tossed him the flint and steel from one of her many pockets. "There should be some firewood next to the stove. I gotta clean Anik off." Alton didn't really understand why the beast needed cleaning. They had only been going through clean snow, but he supposed he didn't know much about the care and keeping of whatever animal he was. The little cabin (if one could even call it that) was no more than five paces long, and only a little wider. A stove, much like the one in the main cabin, was pushed into one corner, a pile of wood next to it. A pile of blankets was close by. On the adjacent wall, a small, rickety bed piled high with even more blankets. He blinked. ' _ Well _ ', he thought, ' _ that is a problem for later.' _ Kneeling down by the stove, he began to pile kindling into the iron belly. Soon, he had a small fire cracking merrily, lighting the cabin in flickering shadows. The door swung open and Leisel stepped in, stomping her boots to clear the snow off them. Behind her followed Anik.

"Um", he said, pointing, "What is he doing here?" Leisel frowned

"He can't stay outside. It's too cold. That's what the blankets are for." she pointed to the pile on the floor. He sighed,

"Fine. But where am I sleeping?" She gave him a strange look.

"The bed."

"I can't take the bed! I'm a guest!" She gave him another look.

"Look, even with the fire, it's not gonna get warm enough in here to keep warm enough to sleep comfortably. We'll have to share if we want to get some rest."

Alton blanched.

"I'll think I'll just sleep on the floor." One of her eyebrows quirked up.

"Fine. Suit yourself." she said.

~~~~~~~

Half an hour of shivering and tossing and turning on the hard floor later, he finally relented and crawled under the pile of blankets next to Leisel. In the dim firelight, he saw her lips quirk up in a smirk.

~~~~~~~~

Leisel woke up warmer and cozier than she had ever been in her life. There was a solid weight draped over her, even more so than the usual weight of the blankets. She sighed, and shuffled closer. It had been so long since she had felt this kind of warmth, bone-deep and full of the kind of human contact she hadn't felt in so long. Then the warm line of heat behind her stirred and rubbed a scratchy beard along her neck. Her eyes shot open to the dim cabin, the fire only faintly glowing embers. "Mhh Whzit?" Alton mumbled and half-opened his eyes. From the looks of it, it wasn't yet morning.

"Nothing, go back to sleep." she said, and made an attempt to get out of bed.

"Nnnggmm." he grumbled, and the arm around her waist tightened, tugging her back into the cocoon of blankets.

"Alton. Let me up." she grumbled.

"Hmm?" he let out an inquiring noise.

"I have to get the fire going. Let me up." her voice seemed to wake him up a little more. He blinked and sat up abruptly, and hastily unwound his arm from her waist.

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry. I'll just-" he fumbled with the covers for a moment, trying to untangle himself and Leisel at the same time. "No, here, let me-"

"Oh, oops, hold on-"

"Look, if you could just-"

"No, really, I've got this-"

Alton yanked hard on the blanket wrapped around Leisel's knee, sending her toppling off the bed with a yelp.

"Ow." she said from the floor. Anik's ear twitched.

"Sorry!" Alton said mournfully from the bed, "I was trying to help."

"Yes, I can see that." grumbled Leisel as she picked herself off the rough floorboards. "Maybe next time, you don't try just yanking on something to see if it works. Trial and error is not always the best option." She moved over to the stove, shoving Anik's butt out of the way with a muttered "Move pumpkin-head" She knelt and started coaxing the fire back to life. "What do you want for breakfast? We got jerky and cold water, bread and cold water or cold water."

"Uh..." None of the options sounded particularly good to Alton.

"I'm kidding, we don't have bread. You're having jerky." she saw his grimace and added, "We'll have a bigger meal once we get get back to the cabin. Hot 'an everything." Really, that face was too cute, she thought. His hair was all pushed to one side, shirt wrinkled and he was still endearingly sleepy and confused. Then she mentally shook herself. ' _ What. The. Fuck. No, absolutely not. That is not a good feeling to have for him. No. What the fuck. Where did that even come from? _ ' Of all the dumbass things one could feel about someone who was trying to kill her less than a day ago, this was probably the worst.

She turned, he had the 'confused duckling' face on again. She had to physically restrain herself from groaning in frustration. ' _ Damnit, he's still adorable. And otherwise attractive. _ ' She busied herself with the fire some more. ' _ Okay. New plan. We can acknowledge the fact that he's very, very attractive and enjoy looking at him, but that does not a good idea make. No snuggling. Admire from afar. Yes, that will work. Definitely. _ '

Alton cleared his throat, and said,

"I don't suppose there's any outhouse around here?" Leisel sighed. This was going to be a long day.

~~~~~~~~~

Alton was cold. He was always cold. Deep down into his bones, he was cold, just like he always was in this thrice-damned, goo-for-nothing, forest. He toes, fingertips, and face were numb and the second he had stepped foot outside the cabin that morning, the boogers in his nose had frozen. He had scrunched up his face at the unpleasant sensation. Leisel, when she saw the face he was making, had nodded sympathetically. Then he blushed. He was blushing right now in fact, finally gaining some feeling back into his cheeks. He  _ had _ been warm  _ once _ in his time up North. He remembered well the all-encompassing warmth of being buried under mountains of blankets, the warm line of another body next to his. The absolute silence of the cabin and the still woods outside.

He also remembered his hand resting on the bare skin of her thigh when he woke up in the middle of the night. Warm and smooth under his hand, and pleasantly soft to the touch. His hips had also been flush with hers, which would have resulted in a whole  _ other _ problem, but he'd jerked away before anything 'else' developed. Alton, whose face felt like it was on fire, had scooted as far away from Leisel as possible, and tried to fall back asleep. He had, but found himself in much the same position.

He dropped his head into his hands. ' _ Goddess, why am I like this? _ ' he thought. ' _ Even if we DON'T die before reinforcements get here, I'd have to turn her in. There is no way this is even a REMOTELY good idea _ .'

"Cheer up," Leisel said, noticing his position, "We'll be back soon. Get a warm supper in you, you'll be good as new." He nodded weakly. That really wasn't what he was worried about. He was worried about the way her hair shone like polished brass in the weak sunlight, the way her deep brown eyes laughed every time he stumbled over his words, the serenity and peace on her face, the small, soft smile she wore as she watched the trees as they glided past, like she was breathing in the forest.  _ That _ is what he was worried about.

"Um, you're staring." she said, wrenching him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, um, I was just looking at your, uh, tattoos. They're very...nice?" he cringed. ' _ Nice? What did that mean? Idiot! _ '

But her eyes danced, and her cheeks flushed redder than the cold ever could make them.

"Oh, well, um. Thank you. I did them myself." A pause; she seemed to search for words. "It means, uh, harmony between elements. It's for blending different ingredients, ideas, purposes together." She quirked a smile. "Kind of fitting, huh?"

Alton smiled back. "What's that one for?" he asked, pointing to another. Leisel's face lit up.

"Oh! Well, it can have one of two meanings, depending on how you use it, on a case-by case basis. I can use it for either, based off of intent. It's used for either-" she talked animatedly the rest of the way, the pair laughing and smiling all the while.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeha boys, we've achieved flirting


	11. XI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Anik is lovely and adorable, and Alton makes Scary Witch Lady mad.

When they finally reached the cabin, the sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon. Tilting her head up to catch the last of the light, Leisel took a deep breath of the cold, clear air, feeling it sweep through her lungs. She smiled. This was truly beautiful land. She would miss this. Perhaps if Alton were to- no. That was a bad train of thought to go down. Even if he would be kind enough to leave her out of the narrative, there would be a blank space in her place that would arouse suspicion. It was best she didn't put him in the situation of lying to his superiors in the first place. Still, it didn't hurt to look. Leisel glanced at him from the corner of her eye. His hair was blown back from the wind, eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled at the disappearing sun, and she knew from last night that his chest was very firm, very warm, and very good for snuggling. ' _ Perhaps _ ,' she thought,  _ 'It would be worth the heartbreak to feel that again. _ '

Anik grunted, and shook his great, horned head.

"Yes, yes, I know. It's dinner time." She unhooked him from the sled and sent him off the the barn with a swat on his backside. "Get going, you great buffoon. I'll brush you out later." He let the indignity slide with another toss of his horns, as if to say, ' _Yes, you will. You'll also babble about how much you love me and then we'll see who get's the last laugh._ ' Leisel turned to see Alton giving her a strange look. His eyes were soft, and the rest of his face kind.

"You really love him, don't you?" he said. Leisel nodded.

"Well yeah," she said, "I saved his life, raised him, and he's saved my life a bunch in turn. Not much for conversation, but I'll take what I can get. Help me get this inside?" She asked, motioning to the sled. Alton nodded.

"How much contact did you have exactly with the townsfolk?" he asked.

"Not much. Sometimes when I went in I didn't say more than five words altogether. They never really liked me, I was only useful." She hated how bitter and sad her voice sounded, even to her.

"There was a little kid who seemed to like you a lot." he said, trying to cheer her up.

"Oh, Isaac?" she laughed, "That kid likes everybody. Not the sharpest branch of the bunch, but sure is the friendliest." They pushed the sled into the barn and closed the doors. "C'mon. It's dinner time, and we have to see if Bernard killed anybody or not."

She was glad to hear Alton laugh. It was warm and full, and danced off the silent trees. Overhead, the moon rose fat in the sky.

~~~~~~~~~

Dinner was good. The stew thawed Alton from the inside out as he ate, the cold melting from his bones. All his men were warm and safe, and Bernard had managed not to burn anything down.  _ And _ he had actually made some useful firebombs that would 'light up anything in a five-foot radius like a lightning strike in a field of dry grass!' Bernard didn't say how he knew that, but Alton didn't really want to know. Plus, the minor raids that his boys had gone on while him and Leisel had been gone had been a success.

"They didn't see us coming, Cap! Got in and out, real quick like," a man called Finig had said. "Found their camp from that hill Miss Leisel talked about." They had cut some horses free, rampaged through the tents, started fires and destroyed as much food as they could.

"That's all well and good," Christoff said, "But what are we doing tomorrow? They'll be expecting another night raid. We won't stand a chance if they know we're coming."

"That's why we'll go during the day," Leisel piped up from the corner a thick book open on her lap.

"They'll see us coming a mile away. Their camp is in the middle of that big open field. We'd be sitting ducks while we crossed it."

"No, they won't," replied Leisel, not looking up, "I'll make sure they don't." The men turned to Alton, expecting answers. He had none to give.

"Leisel, what exactly do you mean by that? Another illusion?" Leisel shook her head,

"No," she flipped a page, "I don't know exactly what's going to happen; I've never done this before. But I  _ think _ it'll just be a really big storm that I control. It should only affect them."

"You mean you don't even know?" cried Simon, "And you expect us to trust the word of a  _ witch _ ?" he spat. Leisel slammed the book shut and fixed him with a glare.

"If I expected people like you to trust me, I'd be dead several times over. Does it look like I need your approval?" Simon withered under her gaze. Alton stepped forward.

"Alright that's enough. Simon, quit the attitude. Leisel, it would be nice to know what going to happen." She ran a frustrated hand through her hair.

"That's just it, I don't know. This," she gestured to the book, "is a spell to enhance my capabilities using the Solstice energy. It says my magic will have greater control, but I don't know if that means my magic will be able to control the extra energy, or if the extra magic will control me. These old books aren't exactly known for their clarity."

"You mean you don't even know what it does?" Alton said incredulously, "That could get us killed! Are you crazy?"

"Well I'd rather only _could_  get killed instead of  _ definitely _ get killed!" she yelled back.

"Well if you can't control that storm,  we're  _DEFINITELY_  getting killed! This is the problem with magic! You mess with something you don't understand and someone always ends up dead!  This time it's gonna be us!" Alton bellowed. He paused to draw breath and noticed the cabin was shaking, jars rattling on their shelves. Leisel's face was as hard and cold as ice. The runes on her skin were flickering a bright, dangerous blue.

"You don't know anything about magic," her voice sounded multiplied, as if there were ten of her, shaking the cabin even more, and her eyes bloomed with the same bright magic as her tattoos, "You don't know anything, Alton Ericson." She moved towards the door and the air cooled around her, her bones seeming to creak with ancient ice.

The door burst open on it's own. As she stood at the threshold, the wind howled outside, whipping her hair about her shoulders, blowing snow into the cabin. In her terrible, multiplied voice, she said,

"The Solstice approaches. Ready yourselves. I must prepare." The blue light had overtaken her eyes now, tattoos moving across her skin. "Be wary. The wind is mine tonight." She turned and walked into the night, the  blowing snow quickly hiding her from view. Bernard stood after a moment and closed the door.

"Hey, uh, Alton," he said in the ensuing silence, "Maybe don't piss off your lady-friend anymore, eh? She seems..." a gust of wind hit the cabin, shaking the jars on their shelves again. "uh, perfectly in the right." he squeaked.

"Gods, let's all just get to bed." Alton grumbled.

"But what about Leisel", Christoff said, "Listen to that storm." 

Alton shook his head,  "She'll be fine. That's  _ her _ storm. We need rest for tomorrow. Find a piece of floor and get some rest."

Not many fell asleep easy that night, with the wind howling past the cabin.

~~~~~~~~

Far away, on the windswept tundra beyond the forest, Liesel chanted in the strange language the wind and stars spoke, crushing lichen and planted between her fingers.  The flecks danced through the air as they fell through her fingers, blowing high, high up to the moon.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that! Actual plot! Also some drama! :D I really hope I'm getting the point across, and explaining about magic enough. Lemme know if ur confused.


	12. XII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, more spooky magic, and a sassy moon, whatever that means.

She could feel the the energy rising within her as voices rose in the cabin. She could feel everything. The moon, fat and high in the sky, the raven perched on the barn, the trees as they bent in the wind. She felt the aurora weave through the stars, a great, shifting river of light and energy. Leisel felt her awareness grow, feeling herself drift out of her body, expanding to cover the entire forest. She felt the shrews scuttling around under the snow, the moose on the edge of the woods looking for twigs, and the soldiers in the cabin, far, far away. Leisel blinked back to awareness. Her feet were cold, buried up to her calves in the snow. High on a hilltop, wind blowing cold through her hair, the leafless trees casting long, slanting shadows across the snow. She blinked again.

"What. The fuck," she said. "Are you serious?" She shivered in the cold and yelled up at the moon, "The least you could do is grab my coat before dragging me up some godsforsaken hill!" She wrinkled her nose at the smell of dried lavender and mint. She brought her hand up to her face and sniffed. "Really!" she shouted again, "What exactly are you trying to do here? It won't work! He's just gonna leave! There's no way your little plan's gonna work!" Lavender and mint were often used in love potions. What the Solstice was trying to tell her, she had no idea. ' _ Nope. No way. There is no way that would ever work. So what if this dumbass moon thinks it would work, what does she know. _ ' she thought.

Sighing, she kicked at a pile of snow off her boot. Well, no sense in dawdling, she supposed. She had rituals to complete, storms to conjure, wars to fight. Leisel paused for a minute, standing in the snow, and let the magic take back her senses. She breathed in the silence once more, that special kind of smell that only comes on the wind at night. If she closed her eyes, she could hear the stars humming to her. She could also feel the storm that was raging in the valley below.

She sighed, "I suppose that's my job to do something with." As she hiked down off the ridge, in the back of her mind, she could feel the storm churn and grow. It was waiting for her.

 

Walking back home took a long time. As she descended into the valley, the storm grew stronger, welcoming her magic and energy. It was around mid-morning by now, and the only reason Leisel could tell was the magic flowing through her veins, connecting her to the land and the cycles within it. It was still dark by the time she reached the cabin, and the storm had only grown stronger. The heavy clouds dropped fat, heavy flakes that flew sideways in the wind. The trees swayed back and forth with the strength of the gales, but Leisel was unaffected. The only thing the storm seemed to be doing to her was helping. She felt the air currents move around her, almost protecting her from the worst of it, and the wind at her back moved her more swiftly along. Her feet seemed not to sink as much in the snow as they usually did and she moved swiftly through the trees.

Finally she broke through the trees of the clearing to find her little cabin half-buried in a drift, lights still glowing warmly within. She trudged up to the door, on top of the snow that would normally have been up to her waist. She hesitated, seeing that the door handle was buried, and knocked. The conversation inside stopped, and she heard footsteps come to the door. It opened slowly, and she saw the confused face of Kay peer up at her.

"Morning. Mind letting me in? There's a bit of a wind out here if you didn't notice." Kay jerked his head and the door swung open to let her in.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a long night. The wind outside had continued to tear at the little cabin, as if it was trying to rip it apart. The howling sound it made as it wove through the trees didn't help either. Sometimes, it would hit just right, and a hollow keen, like reed pipes, would echo through the clearing. None of the men slept well that night. Nobody was willing to take Leisel's bed, all the men stepping warily around it as if it were a dangerous sleeping animal. Eventually, they had pulled the blankets off it and spread them across the floor. The cabin was small, so the men were packed tight as a drum, with one man to keep watch in shifts.

"Just to make sure we're not ambushed" Alton said, leaving 'in case Leisel comes back' unspoken.

During his shift, in what he assumed was the middle of the night (it was so hard to tell, it was dark for so long up here) he saw the snow rise, until it threatened to creep above the glass of the window. When Kay relieved him, it was just peeking over the sill. Alton sighed, and settled down next to Christoff in the warm spot Kay had just vacated. Closing his eyes, he tried not to think of how the wind howled and how Leisel was somewhere out in the woods, alone.

He awoke to the hushed murmurs of his men. Opening his eyes, he saw that about half of them were gathered around the stove, the rest still asleep or waking up like he was. Alton got to his feet, groaning as his joints popped. ' _Goddess, I cannot take another night of this_ ' he thought. Shuffling to the warmth of the fire, he greeted his men,

"Mornin' boys"

"Mornin' Cap'n," came various sleepy grumbles.

"Anything exciting happen?" he said, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Nothing. No movement outside, cept' for a tree falling a while back." Bernard said. In the silence after, Alton could almost hear 'No sign of Leisel either' He sighed, and glanced over to the window. The snow was halfway up the glass, and he said, "Has anyone tried going outside? Check if we're not snowed in?" Bernard shook his head,

"Nah. The wind's still going strong out there, and we don't wanna let the snow in here. It's all piled up against the door, don't wanna have that fall in here, an' not be able to close the door." Alton nodded.

"Does anyone know what time it is?" he asked.

"Can't really tell, it's still dark outside, but by my reckoning, it should be about morning by now," Kay said. Alton frowned. He wasn't about to admit it, but he was worried about Leisel. Would she be able to survive this storm? She had left without any of the extra gear she had forced on him the other day. Why wasn't she back yet? Was she hurt? Dead? Gods if she was dead, they were too. She was their only hope of holding off the South. He glanced back to the door, and the wind wailing beyond it. ' _Hopefully_ ,' he thought, ' _the South will be unprepared for the storm too.'_

The men continued talking among themselves. Someone brought out a deck of cards, and began to play a game.

Suddenly, a faint tapping on the door. Every head shot up and turned towards the sound. Kay stood up and crept to the door, hand on his sword. He opened it a bit, and there, perched atop the snow, was Liesel.  

"Morning. Mind letting me in?" Kay nodded dumbly, and stepped back to let her in. She hopped down from the towering wall of snow and into the cabin. She moved towards the fire, brushing snow off her shoulders. "So," she said, warming her hands, "Are we ready for today?”


	13. XIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We get kinda spooky in this chapter lads. I kinda love the 'magic subtly effecting a person's humanity' so there's some of that in here. Anyway, I know I say this a lot, but it would be really cool if y'all could comment and let me know how I'm doing. Hint hint. Thank uuuu

Leisel wasn't cold. She could feel it all right, the sharp bite of the air, the slight numbness in her cheeks, but it didn't affect her. When she breathed in, it didn't freeze her lungs as it went down, but seemed to rush through her, brisk and light, leaving her standing tall and proud. She could see the paths the stars took through the night, huge, glowing lines arcing through the sky. The air seemed to crackle around her, charged with the power of the Solstice, leaving the faint smell of lavender behind her. She stepped out of the cabin, and stumbled, head spinning. ' _It's gotten stronger_ ' she thought. The pull of the wind, the shift of the sea ice, miles away at the edge of the ocean, the rippling of the aurora above her, it had all been amplified. Leisel sat down abruptly, dizzy with the new sensations.

"Leisel!" Alton hurried over, his forehead creased with worry, "Are you okay? What's wrong?" 

She waved his worrying hands away,  "I'm fine, it's just- a lot." She closed her eyes and tried to center herself, focusing on what was in her immediate area. ' _ It hasn't been this strong before _ ' A memory of her body moving, casting the spells and rituals that opened paths through herself she hadn't known existed, under control of the moon. ' _ Ah. Well. That makes a lot more sense. _ ' Clearly, she would have to be careful. While  _ she _ was stronger, so was the land's power over her. The more power she drew from the land, the easier it would consume her.

"It's just- I'm much more sensitive to everything now. I know where every single shrew in the woods is now, what it's doing, the grass it's eating, everything.  It's just a lot." Alton frowned some more.

"It's because of the Solstice right, like every year?" He looked adorably confused. 

She sighed,  "Yes and no. The power swells every year, and I usually experience some residual effects, but this is the first time I've actually tapped into it directly. It's more..." she searched for the word, "Intimate. I'm tied to the land now. I can feel everything."

"So but you didn't know it would affect you this much?" he asked.

"No, I had no idea this would happen. I didn't even mean to do this." she gestured to her body, where the tattoos were still faintly glowing, flaring brighter occasionally. "The moon kind of hijacked my body. I woke up on a hill about three miles North." She hesitated for a moment, and continued, "This kind of magic, it's dangerous. I'm basically a conduit for all the energy in the system right now. Everything flows through me, that's why I can feel it." She worried a nail, and said, "So it's easy for me to access and easier to control the magic, but it can also take over if my control slips. The land knows there's an invader, so it's preparing to defend itself. It's using me to do it."

Alton frowned even more, "Is that dangerous? What happens if it takes over?"

Leisel hesitated, then said quietly, "Yeah, it's dangerous. That's why no one does it. It wouldn't care if the good-guys got hurt. They can't distinguish you from the invaders. You would likely be wiped out along with the South."

His frown increased, and he laid a gentle hand on her arm. "What about you, though. Is it dangerous for you?"

She snorted, "Yes. That much power, all flowing through my very fragile mortal body? It'd burn right through me."

His voice was soft now. "We'll make sure that doesn't happen. I promise."

She laughed, "How? I didn't know you were so familiar with harnessing the lifeblood of the land and sky"

He cracked that adorable half-grin again, and Leisel felt her cheeks heat up. "I dunno. Maybe we'll throw a rock or something at you if you start to glow again. Without her permission, Leisel felt herself smile back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The storm had abated slightly by the time all the men had woken and eaten breakfast. As they began preparations, the sun was just peeking over the horizon, painting the thick cloud cover orange and pink. Most of the work was loading Bernard's many firebombs into the saddlebags of everyone's horses. It was a delicate task that required each jar to be padded with straw so it wouldn't knock against the others and ignite. Robb, the young man that would ride to Cleary, packed his horse with food and a small tent Leisel had lent him. While it was best if he could make the ride in three days, stopping only to sleep when needed, but if a storm caught him, or snow slowed them down, he would need to be able to hold out for the extra days.

The South had the road from Fairmount barricaded, so they would need to draw the fight away from town. The plan was to attack the main camp with everyone but Alton, Kay and Robb. After word of the attack reached the blockade, it was presumed soldiers from the town would go to assist the main camp. With the lighter guard in town, the three would be able to cause enough chaos that Robb would be able to slip through without notice. It was a very precarious plan. If the men stationed at the road blockade didn't go to assist in the main battle, they would have to improvise. Leisel would leave the South camp and take out the men blocking the road, allowing Robb to slip through. This would leave the men at the camp more vulnerable, but it was the best chance they had. After Robb had escaped, Alton and Kay would return to the main group and find Leisel. She would call a bolt of lightning, then the men would retreat, mission accomplished.

"I think that's the last of it," said Leisel as she strapped the last of the supplies onto Robb's horse. "You have enough dried food for five days, the tent and a couple extra cloaks and gloves. You got the boots I gave you?"

The young man nodded, "Yes, ma'am. They're very warm," he shuffled his feet in the snow, showing that they were, indeed, on his feet.

"They're made of seal-skin, lined with arctic fox. Waterproof and warm. They're my best pair, and I want them back, so make sure you don't get killed, eh?" Leisel said, trying to sooth his nerves.

His head bobbled furiously, "Oh yes, ma'am. I'll get 'em back no problem." She sighed. After all this, there were still some who were afraid of her. She saw the way they leaned away, and their hands edged closer to their swords when she approached.

She took another look up at the sky, the clouds dark and heavy and low. She could feel the potential, of barely contained power, ready to fall from the sky with a twitch of her wrist. It was becoming more difficult to hold it back, like trying to hold back the tide. It wouldn't last. The sun was nearing it's apex. Days like these, it didn't so much rise into the sky as it did skim along the horizon. The wind slid through her hair, cold and soft. She felt the currents blow by her ear and continue to wind through the trees, brushing by a moose and her calf a mile away, then through a stand of birch beyond-

A hand landed on her shoulder, pulling her awareness back into her body. Alton gave her a worried look.

"I'm fine," she smiled, "Are we ready? This is as good as it's gonna get and I can't hold the storm back for much longer." This didn't seem to allay any of Alton's fears, as he frowned deeper, worry etched into his face.

"We're ready as we'll ever be," Christoff said. Alton nodded, then mounted his horse.

"Saddle up, men. Remember, the signal is lightning. Then we retreat."

"Aye, sir!" the men echoed, mounting their horses.

The wind blew more incessantly now, bringing with it the smell of coming snow.

As they moved through the trees, Alton peeked down at Leisel. She had declined to ride with one of the men, and hadn't taken Anik with her either. Instead, she walked along beside them, eerily silent on the snow, with her huge longbow strung over her back. Occasionally her head would swivel to one side as if she heard something they could not, the movement too smooth to be entirely human. The horses seemed nervous around her too, shying away and shaking their manes whenever she came near. She hadn't said anything the whole way, her face stoic, made of stone. The first fat flakes of snow fell silently from the heavy clouds as the wind picked up. The sky darkened.

Honestly, Alton didn't know where they were going. The plan was to all go together to the main road outside of town, where they would split. The men were noticing the turn in the weather, a sergeant by the name of Stephan piped up from the rear, "It everything alright up there? She got a lid on it?"

Alton shot him a dirty look, "Of course she does. If she didn't, it'd be a lot worse, so watch what you say." Stephen blanched, and looked away, thoroughly chastised.

"You don't have to do that," said a hollow voice below him. He started, Leisel hadn't said anything since they left the cabin.

"Pardon?"

"You don't have to lie to them. There's a definite possibility I could lose it and kill all of us."

"Um, but you won't right?"

"Hopefully"

He frowned. That wasn't really what he wanted to hear. He glanced worriedly down again. Her voice had been huge last night, rattling the windows in their frames, but today it slithered out of her mouth, thin and hollow, to be carried away with the wind. He drew breath to address this, but Leisel stopped short, as did his horse, as though hitting a wall.

"Um, why have we-"

"Shhh. They're on the road," Leisel seemed to shrink back into the nearby trees, almost vanishing among the branches. Turning his head, Alton squinted, but didn't see the road ahead, much less armed soldiers.

"Where? I don't see anything? Are we even at the road?"

"It's not ten paces beyond, you can't see it?" He started, her voice was on his other side now. She had somehow crept behind him without making a sound.

"No, I don't. Are you sure your not just 'seeing' it" he wiggled his fingers to imply the magic.

Her head cocked to the side in an odd bird-like fashion. "Oh. I forgot about that," she shook her head. "Sorry, it's- I can't tell what's normal and what's enhanced. But they're there."

Alton nodded. "Do you want to split up now?"

"That would probably be for the best. The road and patrol are just through those trees. If you move fast, you can catch them by surprise," Leisel pointed through the thick copse of trees.

"Right," in a low voice, he addressed his men. "We'll split here. Kay, Robb, with me. The rest, you know the drill. Go with Leisel, retreat at the lightning." Somber faces looked back at him. He threw one last look at his company, before turning to the road once more. Leisel grabbed his arm, and his attention.

"I'll get them back to you," she said reassuringly, "Promise." She shot him a crooked half-smile, before adjusting the weight of her bow. "Come on. It's about a half-mile to their camp. We need to get a move on."

Casting a furtive glance at the clouds, she turned and melted into the woods.

Alton called over his shoulder, "Better follow before you lose her,"

"Be careful, Cap'n," Bernard said, before leading the others into the woods.

' _ Gods, I try to be _ ’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next: Battle and Big Oof Mode activated.


	14. XIV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long boi! It is huge! I'm so proud! Also Bernard's POV and more spooky magic. Little bit of blood if that grosses you out, but it's just a nosebleed. Enjoy!

The wind grew stronger the closer they got to the Southern camp.  Bernard shivered, and looked ahead to where Leisel slid soundlessly through the woods.  They had to push their horses to keep up, their hooves unwieldy in the deep snow. The witch, however, barely seemed to sink in, gliding above the surface.  The men seemed to notice it too, shooting warey looks at one another as they moved through the woods. Wind seemed to gambol around her, branches shift as she passed beneath, and the air seemed richer and fuller with the smell of spruce and snow.  The aura only intensified as they continued.

Shortly, Bernard started to recognize the terrain.  He remembered the oddly bent tree, that looked a little like a misshapen chandelier, and the line of the ridge in the distance.  

“We’re getting close, boys.  Stay sharp,” his voice seemed to startle the others out of their thoughts.  The snow was falling in fat, heavy flakes now, pelting down almost sideways with the wind.  It cut through his trousers with ease and seemed to find the smallest gaps in his clothing to attack exposed skin.  He was pretty sure the tips of his ears had frozen, and the apples of his cheeks were soon to follow. Sighing, he ducked his head further into his scarf, and tried to block it out.  

Suddenly, Leisel drew to a stop, lifting a hand to signal the halt.  

“We’re here,” her voice, like before, was small in the wind, “Go.  I’m going to let the storm out a little more. I’ll stay in the trees, and join you when I’m out of arrows.”

“You’re sure?” What he was asking, he didn't really know.   _ You’re sure about this?  You’re sure it’ll work? You’re sure you’ll be okay?   _

As if she heard what went unsaid, she nodded and said,  “They should be just over that hill.  You ran over attack points during the raids, yeah?”  When he nodded, she continued, “You probably know their layout better than me then.  I’m just here to provide cloud cover.”

“You’re a hell of a lot more than that, miss,” he laughed, “The captain sure thinks so.”  It was hard to tell from the rosiness the cold left in her cheeks, but she flushed to an even deeper shade of red than they already were.  “We’ll be on our way. Good luck, miss.”

“You too.”  And with that she turned and melted back into the trees.

“Right,” he turned back to the others, “Remember what spots we hit the other day?”  He got various nods and ‘ _ yes, sir’s’.   _ “Well, we’re doing that, but bigger.  Hit the kitchens, main tents, let their horses loose, get into their supplies, if it’ll slow them down, do it.  Try not to get into major fights, we can’t afford to get bogged down. We need to be fast and light. Christoff, do you have that map?”

The man in question pulled out the folded piece of parchment, marked with Liesel’s slanting writing.  Christoff explained, “I asked Liesel to point out some landmarks around the perimeter, where it would be easy to get at the supply points,” he pointed to several spots around the camp, “There’s a pond not far from the main wagons and a really huge spruce tree over by the main paddock.”

Bernard nodded.  “We’ll have two groups of four at each of those spots.  The rest will take a buddy and spread out the rest of the way.  You all know the signal, right?” 

“Kinda hard to miss” mumbled Simon.  The signal was a brilliant design Bernard had learned from the Eastern traders.  Along with excellent teas and silks, they also had developed an ingenious method of packing dyes and gunpowder into rockets.  They exploded into flashy balls of colored sparks, making the perfect signal for a group spread over a large area.

“You weren’t complaining about it when it saved your ass a few months ago, Simon,” Bernard grumbled.  “There was something else we needed to go over,” he said, “What was it?” He thought for a moment. “Oh!  Does everybody know how to discharge the firebombs? I think I added something extra this time, so it’s a bit more of a delicate operation.”

Seeing the many white faces (nobody wanted to be on the wrong end of one of Bernard’s ‘creations’) he said, “It’s about the same as last time.  Hit the stopper, shake for a couple seconds, but instead of letting it sit for a bit, count to five, or was it three? And then throw.”

“Which is it?  Five or three?” asked Finnigin, looking slightly worried.

“I’m pretty sure it’s five, but just to be safe, maybe throw the first one on three.”  With this heartening speech, the men split up, and went their separate ways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as she was out of earshot, Leisel folded her cloak under her butt, and sat down.  Cross-legged in the snow, she focused on pulling back, layer by layer, piece by piece, the barrier holding the storm back.  As soon as the first piece fell, a great gust of wind roared through the trees, showering her in a fine dusting of powder blown off the branches.  It almost felt like a wild animal, free at last from it’s prison, and ready to wreak vengeance on it’s jailers. Slowly, she let more of the wall down, clouds churning dark and angry, dropping more and more snow.  It was promptly picked up by the wind, whipped into tiny, sharp crystals that stung at any exposed skin. All around her, snow was whirled into writhing currents, the wind twisting around her. It pulled at her hair and clothing, roaring at her to let it free _ , free FREE!   _

“Enough!” she yelled over the wind, “No more!  You’ll kill them!”

‘ _ Yeeessss’  _ the wind seemed to hiss, ‘ _ kill the intruders.  banish them from our land.  Ssseeend them back to the hovels and filth and the cities.  they will all perish in our storm.’  _

“No,” she said, clamping down on the foreign, wild power inside her, “They won’t.”  Her hands fisted in the snow, where she had fallen to her knees. 

“ _**Enough**. _ ”  Her voice was layered this time, almost matching the roar of the wind.  Her eyes lit up again, burning a bright, light blue. The magic grumbled, and shifted inside her, tattoos glowing and flickering with the movement, but eventually curled up in the cavity of her ribs, heavy and burning, like a stone made of lightning.  Shaking, she fell back on her knees and rubbed a hand across her face. It came back red.

A drop of blood fell from her nose and spattered on the snow.  She stared at it blankly, until she tasted iron as it dripped onto her lip.  Shuddering, she stood up on weak knees. That wasn’t good, she knew, but hopefully she could keep it contained until it was safe.  Wiping away the blood, she hiked her bow further up her back, and turned towards the camp. She had to find a good vantage point. Liesel glanced up at the sky one last time, watching the clouds roil and churn in time with the mounting pressure against her sternum.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bernard looked up, worried, at the rapidly darkening sky.  The clouds seemed to be thickening, heavy and grey, dumping huge, fat flakes into the wind, that whipped them sharp and stinging against their faces.  The storm seemed to howl with renewed intensity, reeling around the tips of the trees, angry and malevolent. 

Christoff seemed to share his concern, shooting him a worried look, “We’ll have to watch that.  Make sure it doesn’t blow us away.” He tried to make it a joke, crack a smile, but it looked more like a worried grimace.  

Bernard nodded grimly, “We’ll keep an eye on it.  I think it’s been long enough. The others should be in position.  Might as well kick this hornet’s nest.” He pulled out the rocket, and handed it to Christoff.  “Hold that.”

“Uhhh, it’s not gonna go off, is it?” he looked worriedly over at Bernard, who dug through his bag for the flint.  

“Yeah, just don’t shake it.”  Christoff cursed his traditional pre-battle shakes.  “Ah!” Bernard finally pulled out his flint, and leaned over to light the fuse.  The spark took, and the flame traveled up towards the rocket.

“Um, when should I let go?” Christoff asked, holding it very far away from his body.

“Oh, you’ll know,” Bernard said absent-mindedly as he tucked his flint away.  Christoff was decidedly un-amused, but figured out what Bernard meant pretty quick.

The rocket shook in his hand, and sparks shot from the bottom.  Christoff let go with a yelp, and it shot into the air. 

“Yeah, there ya go.  You got the hang of it.”  Christoff sighed, and kicked his horse into a gallop as the rocket exploded into bright red sparks above them.  

As the pair broke through the trees, they saw the others do the same, pouring out of the trees from across the clearing.  They rushed towards the tents, Bernard drawing his sword and slashing down at a man on guard duty. He fell to the ground, snow red around him, and they continued on, cutting down the surprised enemies as they went.  Fire suddenly bloomed to life in the corner of his eye. He nodded to Christoff, and they turned towards the nearby supply wagons. As they drew near, Bernard reached into his saddlebag and pulled out one of the bottles.  He whipped it into the opening in the canvas as they galloped past, Christoff doing the same to the adjacent wagon. “Get back!” Bernard yelled, and turned his horse away from the wagons. With a dull  _ woompf,  _ the light canvas and dry wood burst into flames, quickly catching the nearby wagons.  Christoff grinned savagely in the firelight, and they rode on. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Liesel could hear the noise and clamor of battle.  She followed the sound, reaching the edge of the clearing.  Looking up, she picked a great spruce tree that would provide a good vantage point.  She shimmied up the tree, trying to disturb as little snow as possible to avoid detection.  The tree swayed in the wind, and she clung on tight to the limb she was perched on. Liesel settled herself into the crook of a branch, and drew her bow.  She closed her eyes, breathing deeply and clearing her mind. She focused on the ways the wind would blow the arrow off course. She could almost fire now, eyes closed, and let the wind guide it home.  Shaking herself slightly, Liesel opened her eyes, and chose her target. She loosed the arrow, and he toppled over, dead before he hit the ground. She drew another, and fired again. And again.

 

 

Eventually, she reached back for another arrow and found her quiver empty.  She sighed,  _ wasn’t Alton supposed to be back by now?  Perhaps something’s gone wrong  _ Liesel shook herself, ‘ _ No, stop that.  Everything’s fine’ _ Her hair was wet with melting snow, flakes catching in her eyelashes and on her clothing, and she could feel the burning weight flare in her chest.  She seemed to sway, and it took a moment to realize it wasn’t the tree moving, but her. Her vision went faded out and she felt herself start to tip dangerously to one side.  Gasping, Liesel managed to right herself, blinking the spots away from her eyes. Bright blood dripped from her nose again. An odd pressure built in her skull, pounding to get out.  Hissing, Liesel began to clamber down the tree. ‘ _ I need to rejoin the others’  _ she thought.  The only thought that rose above the pounding was to expel the invaders.  She could feel herself stumble towards the noise of the battle, and grab a branch to steady herself.  Her fingers curled around it, digging deep grooves into the wood. Detached, she watched her own body rip the branch from the tree and the power within her flow into it.  Vaguely, she realized this was probably how she would die.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Bernard slashed through another tent, his horse trampling the poles and objects within it.  He was very tired, the noise and rush of the battle energizing and draining him at the same time.  He knew if he stopped, only for a moment, his arms would feel like lead and his legs burn with use.  So he kept going. Occasionally, he would see Christoff whirl by, or one of his own in need of help, and another rush to assist.  An arrow would sometimes fly out of nowhere and strike a man dead where he stood. He didn’t know how long it had been, only that they didn't have much longer.  He could see his men tiring, accumulating wounds, and slowing. They were all out of firebombs. ‘ _ Soon,’  _ he thought, ‘ _ we’ll have to retreat, Alton or no Alton’   _ Eventually, a new presence was felt on the field.  The wind picked up yet again, ripping open tents, blowing men off their horses, snow finding its way under their clothing to sting at necks and hands and wrists.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Liesel hacking her way through the battle. The only weapon she carried was a wooden staff, glowing with the same energy as her eyes, a burning, brilliant blue.  The very earth seemed to attack the men around her. Gusts of wind picked them up and dashed them against the ground, ice shot from her staff and the flesh of men touched by the wisps of glowing energy around her turned black with frostbite.

“Liesel!” he shouted over the wind, “Do you see Alton?  We can’t go on much longer!” She didn’t respond. He yelled her name again, to no response.  Then he noticed the odd, jerking motions of her head, her smooth, fluid gait, the way she collected wounds, and acted as though they weren’t there.  He felt the wind tear more incessantly at his cloak, angry and sharp.

“Fuck,” he whispered under his breath, “Everyone!  Go, now! We’re done, get out of here!” he called to his men.

“What?  Why? We can still hold out till Alton gets here!” cried Finnigin as he rushed past.  

Bernard grabbed his arm as he rushed past and pointed to Liesel, still carving a path of destruction through the fray, “See that?  That’s not Liesel anymore. If we stay, we’ll be killed like the rest of ‘em.” 

Face white with a mix of fear and cold, Finnigin turned and cried, “Everybody, retreat!  Go, scatter! Meet at the rondevu!” and started working his way towards the woods. ‘ _ Goddess,’  _ Bernard thought, ‘ _ protect us’ _

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was to lazy to look up how to spell rondevue so that's what you're getting. Enjoy. Up next, more angst. Stay tuned


	15. XV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More angst! There's more blood, probably a little body horror in this so if you don't like that just skip down to the last ~~~~~ and you'll be fine.

Alton was tired, bloody and cold.  The ambush had worked fine; they had caught the men at the barricade off guard, and caused enough of a ruckus to let Robb sneak past, unnoticed.  They were to stall for a while so he could get a decent start if they did notice. ‘ _ Hopefully,’  _ he thought, ‘ _ they didn’t.’   _ His entire right arm was aching from where he had blocked a blow with his shield and a cut on his leg bled every time he put weight on it.  He was trying not to put weight on it. Riding a horse was not the most comfortable thing, especially the way the weather had turned. He knew it was all Liesel, but it was still unnerving to see the clouds roil and shift, the wind pick up and the snowflakes grow fat and heavy.  As he and Kay drew closer to the battle, the flakes dropped faster, almost sideways with the wind. 

Finally, as they approached, he could hear the yells and clanging of metal above the wind.  “We’re almost there. If you see Liesel, tell her we’re here, and to give the signal,” he said to Kay. Kay nodded, and they both plunged through the trees towards the noise.

The sight that greeted them was chaotic.  The fires scattered around the camp flickered wildly in the wind, still clinging to life.  From their slight vantage point at the edge of the woods, Alton could see the wind twist and turn into a sort of funnel, carrying debris, snow, and even some people with it.  At the epicenter, was a lone figure and even here, he could see her glowing with power. The storm felt  _ angry _ .  Even he could tell Liesel’s control was slipping.

“There,” he said to Kay, pointing, “Go find the others and tell them it’s time to go.  I’ll get Liesel.”

Kay looked over skeptically, “You sure you want to go near that, Cap’n?”  

“I’ll be fine.  Go. Get them out of here.”  With that, Alton flicked the reigns and galloped down to the battle.  

By the time he reached Liesel, the storm had only increased in power.  It was difficult to keep his horse from bolting, even harder to stay in the saddle.  The closer he got, the more he could see something was really wrong. Liesel was positively glowing.  Random bursts of magic, like lightning, would spark to life and strike the nearest object, usually a Southern soldier, and the many wounds that littered her body didn’t seem to slow her down.  In her hands, she held a large wooden staff that glowed with runes. She wielded it like a master, taking down all who opposed her. But her eyes were a terrible burning blue, and her veins glowed that same blue, lit from within, spreading grotesquely across her body.  Her movements seemed so terrible and powerful he thought her bones might break and her limbs rip from her body. And the storm only blew stronger.

“Liesel!” he shouted, “Stop!  It’s over we’re done!”

“ ** _There is no Done.  Only death for those who trespass_** ” her voice slithered out of her lips, foreign and carried on the wind like a snake through the grass, twisting and turning with a dry sliding noise.  “ ** _We will end them,_** ” she gestured to the bodies of the men around her, “ ** _We will end you too.  Go, and perhaps we will spare you, human.  She_** ** _likes_** ** _you, our guardian_** ” Liesel’s face twisted into a sneer, as if the idea was beneath them. 

“Liesel!  Stop this!” he cried out, “Please!”  

“ **_Oh, there is no stopping this, human.  She cannot hear you, she is_ ** **_mine._ ** ” the voice laughed like falling trees, a harsh, terrible sound.

“Come  _ on,  _ Liesel!  I know you’re in there!” he shouted.  He was leaning against the wind now, snow in his eyes, fingers and face numb to the stinging snow.  He fought his way closer, managing to grab hold of her hand. She seemed to shake at the touch.

“Alton, I- What..?” her glowing eyes blinked, and she stumbled.

“Listen, you have to stop this.  This is too powerful, you need to stop,” Alton noticed fresh blood roll from her nose.  He also noticed, with some worry, the darker, dried stuff underneath it.

“I can’t stop it now.  I can’t. It’s already out,” she gasped out, “You have to go.  Get back to the cabin, there’s-” she doubled over with a groan, shaking, “There’s a root cellar under the barn.  Go there, you should be safe.” She looked up at him, and grasped desperately at his arm, “I need to direct it, somewhere safe.  You can’t be near when that happens.” 

He knelt down beside her, “You can’t do that, you said that’d kill you!”

She chuckled humorlessly, “It probably will.  But if I just let it loose, uncontrolled, it would kill everything, basically a decade long winter.  I can’t let that happen.”

“But you can’t just-  You can’t just  _ die! _ ” he yelled.

Her grin was without humor, cold and hard as ice.  “Watch me,” she said. With one herculean shove, she blasted him back twenty paces.  Alton could only watch as the wind roared and twisted around her, lifting her off the ground, and away into the air.

He stood there, watching as she flew North, until he couldn’t see her anymore.  Cursing, he turned and began the long hike back towards the cabin. Distantly, he saw the half-buried bodies of their enemies in the snow, and wondered if any had survived.  We wondered if any of them would survive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liesel felt wild as she flew North on the wind.  She  _ was  _ the wind, wild and free, blowing along with the snow and air and magic.  She felt the turning of stars and the slow, unstoppable creep of glaciers, the rivers of energy of the aurora.  Her grin was half-mad, sharp and joyous across her face. 

Eventually, her feet brushed snow again.  She looked out over the windswept tundra, snow smoothed flat by the constant rush of air.  Snow moved over more snow with a gentle hiss.  The sky was flat and grey with clouds and far in the distance, she felt the slow, unstoppable shifting of sea ice.  _ Yeeeesssssss  _ the magic inside her hissed.   _ Let us out, let us free.   _ The burning was back again, shifting in her bones, writhing in her heart and pressing, pressing behind her eyes.  It felt like she had swallowed a star, burning hot and cold, a massive ball of energy eating through her, lodging in her throat.  She couldn’t breath, she was weeping blood now, joints burning. It wanted to go back. It wanted to go back to the battlefield and ravage those who remained, it wanted to find Alton and the others, safe in the cellar, and rip them to shreds, it wanted to-

“ _ Get. OUT.”  _ Liesel roared, and her whole body jerked violently.  Energy poured out of her, from her mouth and nose, the tips of her fingers, the spaces between her ribs, rushing currents of magic, brilliant, bright blue, out onto the tundra.  Distantly, Liesel thought if felt a bit like throwing up, if one was in the habit of throwing up a stars. It seemed to go on forever, the rushing light, beautiful, terrible power.  She felt the temperature drop, the sea ice far away freeze solid, the clouds start to dump snow. She felt her bones warm to almost burning, blood boiling, heart pumping faster than it should.  Then her vision went white, and she knew no more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alton stumbled into the clearing and saw his men leading their horses into the barn.  “Heyo!” he yelled. 

Bernard turned, and lit up at the sight of him, “Alton!  You made it! We thought the storm claimed you,” he frowned and looked around, “But where’s Liesel?” 

A muffled roar, almost a boom echoed above the trees.  “It’s starting. We need to get inside.” He ushered his men into the barn.  

“Alton, what are you talking about?  What happened to Liesel?” Kay asked.

“I’ll tell you later, now get inside,” he yelled, digging through the straw.  Finally, he found the same root cellar Bernard had discovered, so long ago. He felt the walls of the barn shake and shudder in the wind, more powerful than ever.  “Get in, quick.” The others filed in, and he pulled the trapdoor down tight as he could, and latched it. Someone lit a lantern, illuminating the low room. Crates and boxes of root vegetables were stacked on the walls, blankets folded in the corner.  A small stove was tucked in the corner, wood piled by it. 

“Alright Capitan,” Chrisoff said, “What’s going on?”

So Alton told them about Liesel, how the awful voice had come from her mouth, and how she had nearly collapsed in front of him, how her plan would end.

“But that’s awful!” Bernard exclaimed, “We need to-” 

“We can’t do anything!  Don’t you think I haven’t tried to think of something?  But listen,” he pointed at the low ceiling and the howling of the wind they could all hear, “It’s too late.  And even if it wasn’t, I doubt we’d even live to find her. It’s worse than before out there. We’d be dead before we even left the clearing,” he said dejectedly.

That statement set the mood for the rest of the evening.  The men solemnly lit the fire, and settled in for the night.  

“We should check,” said Christoff, “in the morning; for Liesel.  Just in case.” Nobody said anything, not wanting to be the one to say they wouldn’t find anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The men spent the night in the cellar.  In the morning, when the awful sounds of the wind had abated, Alton tentatively lifted the trapdoor.  Looking around, he could see the barn door had been blown open, barely hanging on a single hinge. The winds had ravaged the neat piles of hay, which were now strewn across the floor and the chicken fence had been blown over.  The chickens themselves were nowhere to be seen, most likely hidden inside their hutch. Snow had been blown through the open door and piled in corners and along the walls. A particularly large pile shifted and stood up. The shape shook off the snow clinging to it’s coat, revealing Anik.  Grumbling, he flicked his ears to rid them of snow, and began nibbling at the hay around him.

“Glad to see you’re okay at least, friend.” Alton said, before calling down to his men, “All clear!  Come on up.” Blinking in the light, they all crawled out of the cellar into the day. Stepping outside, into the yard, they were greeted with a shock.  The snow was almost up to their waists, all the trees drooped under the weight of it, branches clumping with great masses of white.

“It almost looks like they’re dipped in frosting,” remarked Christoff.  The drifts were polished smooth by the winds in sweeping, gentle peaks.  

“Uh oh,” said Kay, pointing to the cabin.  They could all see evidence of the gale-force winds in the many downed trees visible on the edge of the clearing and the branches blown from their trunks resting on the snow, but worst of all was the massive tree that had smashed through the roof of the cabin.  

“Oh, that is definitely an ‘uh oh,’” said Bernard.  Alton nodded dumbly.

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair.  “Well, first thing to do is-” he felt a poke at his back, “What?”  He turned to see Anik, nudging him with his antlers. “What is it? You hungry?  There’s lots of hay in the barn, go eat that,” he made shooing motions towards the barn.  He didn’t have time for this. They had to see if the cabin was beyond repair, if their horses had survived, figure out how  _ they  _ were going to survive, see if Liesel had survived- he stopped short.   _Leisel_ __

“We should look for Liesel,” he said.  The words hung in the quiet air. Someone shifted, and snow crunched under their feet.

“Look, I’m just gonna say it.  She’s probably dead,” Simon announced.  The others glared at him and he continued, “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s true.  Nobody could survive a night like that with no shelter, and she was in the middle of it. Plus, she said that freaky magic thing would kill her.  If she went through with it, she's dead, and you said she did, so,” he trailed off, "What's the point?"

“You’d want someone to bring your body home too, wouldn’t you?” Christoff said quietly.  

“We don’t even know where her body is, other than vaguely North,” Simon interjected again.

Alton looked over to Anik nudging Bernard towards the woods.  “Maybe we do.”

 

This was how the group found themselves slogging through the woods, vaguely North, following a map they had fished out of the wrecked house.  They had found their horses tucked under trees, in little hallows where snow hadn’t reached. They seemed fine, if a little cold, but the piling drifts had protected them from the worst of it. 

Now, picking they’re way around fallen trees, they followed Anik, pulling the sled (they would need something to carry the body on), through the silent trees.  Occasionally, snow would fall from the branches with a soft thump, or a raven would fly overhead, cawing noisily. Other than that, it was silent but for their footsteps.  They followed Anik, who seemed to know the way with the same conviction a man usually has about dinner after a long, hard day. Consulting the map, he seemed to be leading towards the huge expanse of tundra that took up the top half of the chart.  Alton shivered. The further they went, the colder it seemed to get. Trees seemed to be more heavily coated with snow, too, the North-facing side almost covered in it. 

Finally, about midday, they reached the same break in the trees they had encountered when they first pursued Liesel.  Alton remembered staring out at the vast, empty plane and feeling very small and very, very alone. He tried not to think about Liesel, and how her last moments might have felt; alone, afraid and in pain.

Anik grunted, and trundled past them, as if to say,  _ hurry up, we don’t have all day. _  As they stepped out onto the plain, the temperature dropped even more.  One by one, as the men emerged from the trees, they pulled their cloaks tighter around their bodies and tucked noses into the collars.  

“Ugh!  Why is this so much worse?” moaned Bernard.

“It’s the trees,” said Kay, “they block a lot of the wind and hold in a little heat.  Out here, we’re more exposed.”

With that, they continued on their way.  Their feet crunched through the top layer of snow, almost like a crust, and down into the powder below, making walking even more difficult.  Anik moved steadily onward, further into the tundra. As they went, the clouds overhead thickened, and began to drop soft, fat flakes. It was nothing like before, just a soft, steady pace, almost gentle.

At this point, Alton was beginning to doubt the animal leading them.  They had been walking straight North for a good half-hour, and were far into the tundra, treeline no longer visible.  Soon, they would have to turn back if they wanted to get back to the clearing before nightfall. But then he noticed Anik start to meander around, sniffing at little knolls, small hills or odd shapes buried in the snow.  Alton swallowed. “I think we’re here. Start digging around, see if you can find…” he trailed off, not sure how to finish the sentence without sounding horribly morbid.

The lump in his throat wouldn’t go away, no matter how hard he tried to swallow it down, as he knelt in the snow, brushing off a suspiciously shaped lump.  Around him, the others did the same. He breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t her, just a mound of dead grass. He continued on, searching, hoping not to uncover a stiff, cold hand, or find lifeless brown eyes staring up at him.

“Captain.  Over here,” Kay’s voice was somber, a few yards away.  With a heavy heart, Alton rose to his feet. But Kay’s brow furrowed, and he reached out to touch the vaguely human shape before him.  He seemed to blink and his brow wrinkled even more. “Hey! She’s alive!” he yelled. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. That happened. Anyway, next time will be much nicer, lots of fluff, maybe a little sumthin sumthin? It's much happier, that's the point.


	16. XVI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shane madej voice*ooh, some smoochin'!

Alton rushed over to where Kay knelt in the snow.  His dropped to his knees beside him and looked down at the still form, still half-buried in the snow.  She was pale and bloodless, as one would expect when a body spends the night in sub-zero temperatures. 

Alton glanced down dubiously, “Are you sure?” he asked.  Kay shot him a dirty look. “Not that I want her to be dead, but-  She just looks so…” he trailed off.

“Dead?”  When Alton nodded, Kay continued, “That’s what I thought too, but there’s a pulse.  It’s slower’n molasses on a cold day, but it’s there.”

Alton reached down and felt for the faint pumping of blood.  The skin of her neck was chilly against his fingers, but it still pulsed gently against his.  “I can’t believe it. That’s incredible, she should be dead,” 

“That may be, but she’s not.  She will be soon though if we don’t get her warm soon.”  Kay said, brushing snow from his pants, rising to his feet.  Anik had trundled over, dragging the sled, and was nudging his way through the crowd around Liesel.  “Get her on the sled. Careful moving her, she might have wound we don’t know about.” 

They set off back towards the forest as the sun began its descent, Liesel safely on the sled, swaddled in blankets.  Snow continued to fall; soft, silent flakes twisting gently through the air. Their tracks would be covered within the hour.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liesel didn’t expect to wake up.  When she had let the magic rip through her out onto the tundra, she knew that this was likely the last thing she would feel.  Thus, when she woke to a gently crackling fire, warm blankets carefully tucked around her and a full-body ache, she was very surprised. 

“Mmblfg” she said, and made the very smart decision to stay very still.  As she become more aware of her surroundings, she also became aware of the numerous places of concentrated pain.  

“Mmrrrug.” she said again, and made the executive decision to go back to sleep.

 

Much later, or maybe not, (it’s rather hard to tell the passing of time when one is unconscious) Liesel woke again, feeling a little better, but still very poorly.  

She stared up at the dirt ceiling for a while, taking stock of her surroundings.   _ Dirt roof.  Probably the root cellar.  Cabin probably destroyed in the storm.  Ugh, that’s gonna be a pain to fix. Ow, my leg hurts.  Also my other leg. Also my ribs, and my arm. And my head.   _

She sat up, or tried to, before realizing that it wasn’t a very good idea and making a noise much like stepping on a moose in deep snow. (a sort of disgruntled, low, painful sound)  

“Liesel!” Alton came rushing over, “you’re awake!  How are you feeling?”

“Ugh.” she said eloquently.  

He laughed, “Yeah, Christoff said you might be in some pain when you woke up.  But besides that? Are you okay?” He smoothed a hand over her forehead and into her hair absently, like he didn’t know he was doing it.

“I don’t even know what happened.  Is everyone okay?”, she rasped. Her throat was so dry,  _ I’d kill for some water  _

Alton seemed to anticipate this, “Oh, here.  You’re probably thirsty,” he lifted a cup to her lips, and helped her drink.   “Everyone’s fine. Robb got away clean, we think, and only minor casualties from the battle.  But they weren’t from you,” he finished, solem. 

“So I didn’t-” she was afraid to finish her sentence.

Alton was quick to reassure her, “No.  I don’t know how we managed to lose so few, that’s a miracle in itself,”  

She sighed, “How much damage did we do?”

“A lot.  We crippled that camp, but-”

“There’s a but?  I hate but’s” Liesel groaned, “What do you mean,  _ that  _ camp?  There’s only one camp, right?”

“We thought so, but that was just the first wave.  More battalions arrived a few days after the attack.”

_ A few days?   _ “How long have I been sleeping?” she asked.

“Five days,” he saw her stricken look, “You were really bad, Liesel.  You were half-frozen, almost all the way dead when we found you. If we hadn’t found you…” he trailed off, letting Liesel fill in the blanks.

“But five days,” she said, “What’ve you been doing all that time?”

“Regrouping.  Trying to salvage what we could from the cabin.  A tree caved the roof in, so we’ve been trying to fix it.”

She waved him away, “Don’t bother.  After this is over, I’ll need to move on anyway.  Better it just stay like that, maybe they’ll think I’m dead in the wreckage.”  Alton didn’t really know how to respond to that, so he just kept quiet.

“Help me sit up,” Liesel said abruptly, already straining forward.

Alton winced, “That’s not really such a good idea, you’re ribs-”

“I have been asleep for five days, Alton.  I’m not going to sit around any longer.”

He sighed, but placed his arm around her shoulders anyway, and levered her out of the nest of furs and blankets.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow,” she hissed, “Goddess, that hurts.”

“Well, I told you.  Now, uh…” Alton blushed, and looked away.

“What?  What’s wrong?” she looked down at herself, finding only her breastband and bandages around her ribs.  “What?”

“Well, you’re not wearing a shirt,” A;ton muttered, flustered.

“What, it’s not like you haven’t seen anything like this before?” she said, gesturing at herself.

“Well, it’s just- I’m usually better acquainted when- You’re just-” he sputtered.

“Yes?” she grinned,

He mumbled something she couldn’t hear.  “Speak up, what was that?” she asked.

“YOU’RE REALLY PRETTY.” he blurted, then blushed even more.

She reached out and grasped one of his hands in hers.  It was warm against her skin, and she gave him a shy, soft smile.  “Hey, it’s okay,” she felt her cheeks heat up alongside his, “I think you’re really pretty, too.”

He let out a breathy laugh, and gripped her hand back.  “I was worried. About you, in the storm. We-  _ I  _ thought you were dead, we were ready to bring your body back.”  Somehow they had gotten even closer, his arm around her shoulders, hip to hip.  He was wonderfully warm against her skin, and she leaned closer. “Goddess, I thought about you; alone, in the middle of nowhere, and I just- I didn’t want to think about you  _ dying _ alone,” he choked out.

“Hey,” she said, twisting her neck to face him, “I’m okay.  I’m right here, and I’m not dead out in the middle of nowhere.  You’ll have to try harder; can’t get rid of me that easy.” He let out another short laugh, and she felt his breath fan across her face.   _ Oh,  _ she thought,  _ we’re close. _

Their faces were inches apart and she wasn’t sure who moved first.  Perhaps he had bent down, or she had reached up, but somehow they met in the middle.  His lips were warm and dry against hers and his beard scratched pleasantly against her face.

“ _ Wow _ ,” she said as they parted, somehow out of breath, even though it had only lasted half a second.  It had felt like an eternity.

“Yeah,” he said, just as breathless.  They leaned in again, this time with more conviction.  Their lips met again, still sweet and tentative, like one might touch a delicate work of art.  Liesel smiled against his lips, and he hummed in return.

Then the trapdoor banged open, “Hey Alton, is Liesel awake- WOAH.”  Bernard nearly fell down the ladder, Liesel and Alton jerked apart. “Oh! Okay!  She is awake. Um, I will go let the others know. I will leave. Yes, good. Uh, carry on!  Don’t mind me!” He scrambled back up the ladder, making a lot of noise in the process. 

“Um, that was…” Liesel trailed off, still blushing and smiling.

“Yeah, it was… nice,” Alton said.  They sat quietly for a minute, listening to the fire pop, sharing each other’s space and warmth.  Liesel’s head came to rest on his shoulder.

“He’ll be back soon.  We should,” he looked down at her and blushed again, “uh, get you a shirt.”

“Oh yes, we musn’t offend your delicate sensibilities,” she laughed.  He scowled good-naturedly at her, but moved to fetch a shirt from a pile in the corner.

The shirt wasn’t one of hers, it was much too big for that, but it was clean and smelled nice as she pulled it over her head.  “Alright,” she groaned, “help me up.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.  I’ve been sleeping for five days, I’m not going to sit in bed any longer.”

He gave her an incredulous look, “What part of ‘you almost died’ don’t you understand?  Not only did you nearly freeze to death, but you also have a couple cracked ribs, a pike through your thigh, and a sprained ankle, not to mention the bruising and general ware of battle.  You’re not moving.”

She wiggled her fingers, “Oh look, I’m moving.  But seriously, I’m getting up, with or without you,” and began to lift herself off the pallet.  She struggled for a few minutes, wincing and cursing before Alton sighed and offered her a hand up.  “Changed your mind?” she grinned.

H snorted, “No, I couldn’t stand to watch anymore, it was like a baby bird falling out of the nest in slow motion.”  Finally, Liesel stood on shaking legs, and took a few wobbling steps. Alton’s arm fell almost naturally around her waist, supporting her.  She smiled behind her hair.

“Only for a little bit,”  he warned, “You shouldn’t be moving in the first place, so you’re certainly not going anywhere but this cellar anytime soon.”

“Oh, but I have to get some herbs for my leg.  They should’ve been in the cabin, I need to get into the wreckage to see if they survived.”

“No!  No way are you about to go crawling around under some roof that could collapse at any moment.  Sit back down, I’ll get whatever you need,” he started guiding her back towards the nest of blankets.

“You don’t know what anything looks like, I think I’d better go,” she tried to pull away from him, towards the ladder.

“No,” Alton said, gently shoving her to sit down, “You’re not moving, even if I have to tie you down.”

“Damn, I didn’t know you were into that.  That might be moving a bit too fast for me, Alton,” Liesel said before she could stop herself.  She felt herself blush again.  _ That’s been happening to much lately  _

Alton flushed as well, stammering, “I didn’t mean- I’m not-  Oh, just stay here, what do you need?” 

“Uh, just the labrador, broadleaf, marigold, echinacea, and comfrey.  Also the mint oil and some bandages. If the jars are still intact, just look at the label.  If they’re not intact, I can’t use them anyway, they’ve probably been contaminated.”

“Okay, anything else?” he asked halfway up the ladder.

“Maybe some food.  I don’t know what survived, but if there’s bread I’ll have some of that.”

He nodded, “Will do.  I’ll bring down some of your clothing too, we managed to dig a lot of it out of the snow and dry it off.  It’s all piled in the barn.” 

He was almost at the top of the ladder when Liesel said, “Hey, Alton,” he turned, “thanks.”  He gave her a soft smile and she felt herself smile in return.

“Bernard will be down soon to talk your ear off.  Get some rest, Liesel.”  _ He has a kind face,  _ she thought,  _ it will be hard to leave a face like that. _  She sighed, and lay back in the bed, somehow exhausted from her brief movement.   _ Enjoy it while it lasts. _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liesel is asleep again when he gets back.  Bernard is sat at her side, looking over some maps of the area.  “She was fast asleep when I got her, Alt, what were you doing that tired her out?” he says with a salacious wink.

He scowls, “Nothing, get your head out of the gutter.”  Alton sets the jars down and continues, “How are we looking?”

Bernard sighed, “Well, it doesn’t look good.  Robb should have gotten to Cleary a few days ago, so reinforcements should be here in about four days, that’s  _ with  _ the extra snow accounted for,” he paused, and scrubbed a hand through his hair, “The problem is, that’s four days too many.  We could barely hold off one battalion, now they’ve got three. The only way we managed to beat them last time was with Liesel going berserker, but I don’t think that’s going to happen again.  We do have the resources to make more firebombs, but they’ll be more alert this time. We won’t be able to take the same approach.”

“Well what  _ can _ we do?  We can’t just do nothing.”

Bernard sighed, “While we can’t launch another large attack, we might be able to do some damage with some more night raids.  Smaller groups though, even less likely to get caught. In and out, just long enough to do some damage. It’s not much, but it’s something.”

“It’s also all we’ve got,” Alton said, “Have you started on the new firebombs?”

“No, but I’ll get right on it.  I’ll get some men together and start assembly.”  He heaved himself off the crate and up the ladder.

Alton sat and watched the fire for a few minutes, before realizing didn’t have anything to do.  He sighed,  _ Might as well go help Bernard; make sure he doesn’t light the barn on fire. _

Working with his hands also helped to quench the nervous energy rattling through him.  It wasn’t a hard process, but something that required enough focus and precision that it took him mind away from their impending doom.  

“Trying to burn down the barn again, Bernard?”  Alton glanced over to see Liesel poking her head out the trapdoor.

“You know it,” Bernard laughed from the corner where he sealed the bottles with candle wax.

Alton was less casual.  “What are you doing up? How did you get up the ladder?  You shouldn’t even be  _ walking,  _ much less climbing!”  He hurried over and put an arm around her waist, hauling her the rest of the way up.

She shrugged, “I got bored.”

He helped her over to a hay bale where she sat down and pulled out a some furs and a sewing needle.  Conversation resumed, just as it had before her arrival; the laugher and good-natured jokes about each other’s personal hygiene.  Liesel joined in from time to time, making enough cutting remarks that she kept up with the others.

Eventually, Christoff piped up, “Hey Liesel, what are you working on?”

“Just some mittens.  My last good pair when with Robb.  See?” She held it up, showing off intricate beadwork. 

“Woah, that’s nice.  Where’d you learn that?”

“There’s a village that lives near the edge of the sea ice in winter.  I go there to get sealskin for waterproof stuff. One time I noticed one of the Elders making something a lot like this and asked her to teach me.”

Stitched into the fur were tiny glass beads, making colorful patterns and designs.  A blue flower was half-done, forming the centerpiece. “This is nothing,” she continued, “Their designs are so much more complex and a lot less clumsy than mine.  Me and her always compare projects when I go.”

“Huh.  Neat!” And the joking and conversation continued.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next few days went by much the same.  During the day, they worked to prepare for the raids that night.  More things were fished out of the cabin as they were needed and more and more soldiers arrived from the South.  Liesel gained more and more mobility as the herbs worked their magic and she found herself spending more and more time with Alton.

Sometimes it was just sharing their space with the other, cooking meals, working on the firebombs together or sorting through the jars found in the cabin.  They spent their time tucked into each other, side by side joined at the hip or curled up together in the hay loft.

Other times, like now, were spent making out.  They were in the hay loft again, killing time until the raid.  They had been flipping through books found in the root cellar that Liesel hadn’t seen in years.  They were the books Amma had given her when the villagers had attacked. She had gotten quiet when they’de unearthed them, and Alton had asked what was wrong.  She told him about how Amma had found her, wandering the streets of Wilnson, starving and half-dead, and sensed the magic within her. She told him that Amma had taught her everything she knew and given her the first runic tattoo.

She told him about how she had helped an old man with his cart stuck in the mud, and how he came later to the cabin with an angry mob.  She told him how They had almost beaten her to death, killing Amma in cold blood right in front of her, and how she managed to avoid the same fate only by killing everyone else.  

She told him about the way she bounced from town to town, staying only a few months before being chased out again.

She starts crying at some point, tears rolling silently down her cheeks and he leans down and kisses them away.  Things escalate after that, until they’re wrapped around each other in the best possible way, her legs around his waist, pressed close together.

Her hands find their way under his shirt, palming the warm, taut skin.  His hands are going much the same route and spread out along the expanse of her ribcage.  One slides up to tangle in the hair at the base of her skull, pulling them even closer together.  Using this grip, he pulls her head back and mouths at a spot under her jaw.

She gasps and tilts her head back more, giving him better access.  Sighing, she lets him work a mark into her skin, letting her eyes fall closed.  The second she feels him bite down, she lets out another sharp gasp. Liesel can feel him smile against the mark, and thinks,  _ that won’t do.   _ Snarling, she reaches back and grabs onto  _ his  _ hair, and makes her own mark against his skin.  She can feel the laughter vibrating against her lips and smiles.  

Pulling away, gasping and smiling, she says, “There, now we match.”  He laughs and dives back in. They only stop when Bernard comes in to get Alton for the raid and screeches when he sees them.

“Goddesss, my eyes!”

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night, when Alton slots himself beside Liesel instead of his own bedroll, Bernard and Christoff waggle their eyebrows but don’t say anything.  Alton rolls his eyes and presses a kiss onto her cheek, before tucking an arm around her middle and pulling her close. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao sorry this is so late it was spring break yeet  
> btw I had to look up what people did for bras back in the day for this. In case you're curious, there was a wierd german bra-thing, a corset (not really practical) and the ancient Greek breastband thing which is what I went with. The German thing was mostly upper class.  
> Also! Look up native american bead work! It's super pretty!


	17. XVII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look! More fluff and smiles and also some cold-blooded murder! Ladies and gents and others, we got everything! :D

“Leisel, you shouldn’t be up,” Alton said to her back as he hurried after her.

“Look, I’m fine.  I’ve been resting for two full days, and I’m just fine.  All better,”

“I highly doubt that,” he said, hands on his hips.

She turned and faced him, “You remember how that shoulder wound healed really fast?”  Alton winced, he still felt bad about that. She rolled her eyes like she knew what he was thinking. “Stop that.  It wasn’t your fault; well,” she tilted her head, “I suppose it was, you gave the order, but things were different then.  We’re friends now. Well, hopefully more than friends?” 

Goddess, those eyes.  Rich earth, chocolate and cinnamon, huge and dark against her skin, hesitant and unsure.  It was such a stark contrast to her usual quiet confidence. “Um, yes, I hope we’re more than friends too,” He could feel himself blushing and hoped she didn’t notice.

A shy, soft smile bloomed across her face, “That’s good.  I mean- I’m glad that- Oh, anyway, the point is, I healed from that in like, a day.  It’s been two days since applied the herbs, and five days asleep. I think I’m fine.”

He frowned, “Yes, but you were already tired from,” he waved his hands through the air, “all the Solstice stuff.  Also, these injuries were a lot more severe than a bolt to the shoulder.”

Exasperated, Leisel huffed, “I’m fine, look.” She lifted her shirt to show the lack of bruising around her ribs.  “You wanna see my thigh? Make sure it’s okay too?” That cheeky grin was back, and she laughed when Alton’s blushed even more.

“I’ll take your word for it,” he grumbled, “But I still don’t think-“

“Alton,” she reached out and took his hand, “I hear what Bernard and the others say when they come back from the raids.  There are more and more of them every time, and we’re running out of firebombs  _ and  _ options.  You need me.”  Her voice was as quiet and serious as a graveyard.

He sighed, “I know.  I just- I want you to be safe.”

“Geez, buddy, I think you’re in the wrong business for ‘safe’,” That drew a sharp bark of laughter out of him.  “But I’ll be fine. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time. Thank you, for worrying though.” 

On a whim, he brought their joined hands to his lips and pressed a kiss into her knuckles.  It was cold, but not cold enough her cheeks were to pink to mask her blush. 

“I know,” he said quietly, “I just- You’re so new.   _ We’re  _ so new.  I don’t want to lose it so soon.  Before we have too.” She frowned and drew him into a tight hug.  He noticed her head fit  _ just _ so under his chin, that they folded so easily into each other, like two pieces of a puzzle, sliding together like clockwork.

For a while, they just stood there, wrapped up in each other, enjoying the warmth of the other in the stillness of the woods.  Eventually, Leisel broke the silence. “I think I’m going on the raid tonight.” Alton frowned, and she explained, “The more I can do, the sooner, the better.  This isn’t an ideal situation.”

Alton snorted, “That’s an understatement.  I think the ideal situation would be if the South hadn’t invaded at all.”

“Hmm, but then we wouldn’t have this,” she squeezed him a bit tighter and pulled him down into another kiss.  Alton sighed into it, her lips warm and soft against his. He felt her smile against him. Eventually, the need to breath outweighed the need to keep kissing and they broke apart.  Leisel was wonderfully flushed, deep brown eyes sparkling, hair slightly wilder than usual from where his hands had run through it. He could only imagine he looked the same.

“Wow,” she breathed, grinning.

“You say that every time!” Alton laughed.

“Well, it’s also very nice and pleasant every time, so I think it’s justified,” she smiled.

He found himself smiling as well, and pressed another kiss onto her cheek, then another, and another, as her laughter echoed through the trees.

“Goddess, can’t leave you two alone together without defiling each other!” Bernard announced as he marched into the clearing.  The two leapt apart, both blushing furiously.

“We weren’t- “

“You definitely were.  Which is fine, I just don’t want to see it.  It’s like watching my old drill sergeant necking the matron; endearing, but kind of disturbing.  Do that inside.”

“ _ Not  _ that it’s any of your business what we’re doing and where we’re doing it, but we have better things to discuss than this,” Alton said gruffly, “What’s tonight’s raid looking like?”

Bernard sighed and worried the crease in his brow, “Not good.  If we use them carefully, we only have enough firebombs for the next three nights, and Fitz and Simon are still hurt from last night.  Do we have any idea when backup is getting here?”

“We don’t.  It should have taken Robb about three days to get to Cleary, but he’s traveling alone, nonstop if possible.  The return trip is going to take longer, a larger group moves slower, not to mention all the new snow. We have no idea how much that will slow things up,” Alton said.

“Goddess.  Well, we’d better hope he gets here soon.  We’re running out of tricks.”

“Nah, you got me.  I’ve got enough tricks for a while yet,” said Leisel.

“Are you sure you’re-?”

Leisel’s voice was firm, brooking no argument, “I’m well enough.  I’m coming along tonight, too. You need all the help you can get, and I’m not a three-day ride away.  You’ll have to deal with it.”

Bernard didn’t look happy about it, just as Alton wasn’t, but nodded, “Yeah, alright.  You know when we gear up?”

“Yep, right after sundown.”  Conversation ran dry after that, and all three of them stood and listened to the cawing of a distant raven.  “I’ve got to make some more arrows. I’ll be ready at sundown, Bernard.” Leisel shuffled off into the barn.

Bernard nodded, and turned to Alton, “Come on, let’s go over the numbers again.  They got more soldiers in today.” Sighing, Alton followed Bernard into the barn as well, already dreading looking at their depressing odds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leisel was ready.  While she didn’t ride Anik often, when she did, they were a force to be reckoned with.  He was huge, heavy and when he got going, a battering ram with antlers. Perched on his back, poised to strike the camp below, she could feel the tension building.

She straightened as Kay gave the signal, a two-toned bird call, and they charged.  They stayed as silent as possible, giving little warning to the camp. Christoff hurled the first firebomb, a pair of wagons exploding into a merry fire. 

Leisel drew her bow, and infused the arrow with an eerie green ball of fire.  She knew (by trial and error and a burnt pair of pants) that it was very difficult to put out and would catch on anything even remotely flammable.   _ Let them deal with _ **_that_ ** _ ,  _ she thought.  She circled around the edge of the camp, firing arrows into the various tents and wagons, until a group of horsemen caught on, and gave chase.

Tikkas, as a plain dwelling animal, migrated vast distances every year, and were exceptional runners.  However, they were distance runners, not sprinters like the soldiers’ horses. They were gaining. While Leisel was an exceptional archer, and was mostly healed, her ribs weren’t well enough to let her twist that far and fire back at her enemies. 

Cursing, she drew on her weakened reserves of magic, and tossed a bright ball of energy behind her.  With a  _ whoosh,  _ the ball struck the lead horseman in the chest, and expanded into a shock wave that send the men behind him flying.  

Her hands were buzzing, still flickering with power, runes glowing as if lit from within.  It didn’t actually feel too bad, a bit like stretching a sore muscle. She could keep going.  So Liesel drew another arrow and let her magic travel down the shaft before coalescing on the arrowhead.  When she released it, it left a streak of green light behind it, flying like a comet through the air. When it struck the tents, the energy manifested in poisonous green fire that spread rapidly over the canvas.  

Liesel grinned and nocked another arrow.

When Bernard called the retreat, there were bright green fires peppered in with the normal fires all over the camp.  

“Liesel, I didn’t know you could do that!” Christoff exclaimed.

“I didn’t really either,” she said, “I thought I was still too tired from the Solstice.  Turns out I was wrong.”

“Well do that again, next time.  Whatever they were expecting, it wasn’t that.”

“Will do,” she laughed.

They were silent for a time, riding back to the clearing in a peaceful quiet.  The only sounds were the jingling of the horses tack and the crunch of snow. Finally, Bernard broke the silence, “That went better than we had any right to hope.”

“What do you mean?” asked Christoff.

Bernard snorted, “I mean that we’ve been taking hits nonstop.  It’s a miracle we’ve only lost a few men in the last week and an even greater one that we didn’t collect anymore injuries tonight.”

“Well that’s morbid.  But you’re right, we have been lucky.”

Liesel interjected, “It’s probably the cold.”  The others looked at her quizzically, and she continued, “In the past, when other nations have tried to advance their armies North, it’s always been slow going.  There’s less people and towns up here, less food they can seize from villagers, there’s little food in the woods, especially in the dead of winter. 

And the dark and cold really get to you if you’re not used to it,” she paused, and added, “Still gets to you even in you  _ are  _ used to it.  I doubt many of them have ever seen snow before, let alone this much of it.  Their gear probably isn’t warm enough, so they’re either riddled with frostbite, sickness or both.  All in all,” she finished, “They’re probably not at their best and most alert at the moment.”

Kay nodded thoughtfully, “That’s fair.  Say, speaking of food, how are we doing on that?”

“Oh, we’ll be fine.  I’ve still got a good chunk of moose still frozen.  The one thing we might run out of is root vegetables, but if we need to we can sneak into town and get some from…” Liesel paused.  Goddess, how had she forgotten about Anka? Her only friend, left to die in the snow.

“Liesel?”

She shook herself, and plastered a smile on her face.  “There’ll be some around. We’ll be okay,” and tried to stop the telltale burning in her eyes.  The group was silent once more until,

“All this talk of food is making me hungry.  And cold. Was there any roast left after dinner?  Or some tea? My bones are fit to shatter from cold,” Bernard announced.

Christoff sighed, “Is that all you ever think about?”

Bernard winked back playfully, “No, I think about your mother too, in a nice…” laughter rang through the trees as the group continued through the woods.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sir, the magic-user is back.”

“What?!  I thought she’d been killed!”

The man was shaking on the floor, head bowed, “In the attack tonight, there were signs,” he hesitated, shaking, “Mostly fire.  We couldn’t put it out, just had to cut off the burning parts. But-” he swallowed nervously, “There were some soldiers who were struck directly.”

“Bring them to me.  What have our damages been?”

“Mostly burns-”

“Yes, yes, get on with it!”

“The food storages were hit the hardest.  We’ve lost about a quarter of our supplies now.  The caravans were also hit, a lot of weapons were lost as well-” 

The man’s speech was cut off as his head hit the floor.  His body fell a second later.

The Commander wiped the blood off his sword on the dead man’s tunic.

“Have the men the witch’s magic touched executed.  They are tainted now,” he said casually, as if discussing the weather.  “And bring me the generals.”

The white-faced aid nodded, and scurried out of the tent.  

He sighed, stepping around the cooling corpse on the floor, and poured himself a glass of wine.  He turned as the generals walked into the tent.

“Gentlemen,” he began, “You’ve no doubt heard of the witch plaguing these lands,”  

When they nodded, he continued, “Well, we’re going to cleanse it.”  The candlelight cast heavy shadows on his face, the hard lines of bone under his skin in sharp relief as he grinned.  “Let’s lay a trap.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tbh this is the first time i've giggle maniacally to myself writing so we'll see what that says about what's happening next.


	18. XVIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some canoodling and some sneaky business. Not much plot, but we're gearing up for it. Hold onto your hats people, we're getting to the top of the roller coaster

Alton shrieked as cold hands clamped onto the back of his neck.  “Liesel!” he groaned.

She giggled, leaning over him in the dim light of the fire.  “Oh, did I wake you?”

“Ugh, I hate you,” he grumbled.

She bent even more to give him a kiss on the cheek, “I know.  I’m the worst.”

She shuffled out of her heavy woolen leggings, and slipped into bed beside him.  “Is that one of my shirts?” he asked.

“Maybe.”

“Awful.  Now you’re a thief too,” he said, tucking his face into her neck.  They stayed that way for a few minutes, enjoying each other’s warmth, then he asked, “How was it tonight?  Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine.  We put a good sized dent in their supplies, I think, and nobody was hurt, which is good.”

“You’re okay though?  Ribs are still fine? Did you pull anything?”

He could feel her shake against him, laughing, “Alton, would you like me to come crying to you whenever I so much as stub my toe?  Because I will do that and you won’t like it.”

He chuckled, and rubbed his cheek into the crook of her neck, “I don’t think that’s quite necessary.”

Liesel shivered against him, and he asked, “Are you cold?  We can get another blanket.”

“N-no.  It’s just... your beard feels nice.  Tickles.”

He grinned, “You mean this?”  He rubbed his face against her skin harder.

“Stop! Ack! You’re the worst!  Cut that out!” he was laughing along with her until an elbow caught him in the gut.  When his breath  _ whoofed  _ out, she said, “When you tickle someone, you have to be prepared to face the consequences, Alton.” 

“I’m not sorry,” he wheezed, “But can I make it up to you?”  He began to press slow, open-mouthed kisses onto the joint of her neck and shoulder.

“Y-yeah, you can definitely do that,” she craned her head to the side to give him more room.  Her voice came out more breathy than usual. Soon she was gently shivering against him, letting out little sighs and gasps whenever he did something particularly nice.

Alton had just finished working his way up the column of her throat when a voice came from across the room, “I would like to remind you that there are other people in here right now.  Nobody wants to hear what you’re about to do, Captain,” Bernard announced loudly. Scattered agreements came from around the room.

“Uh... sorry.  We’ll uh, stop.  Um, goodnight then,” Alton stuttered.  

“That’s going to be awkward tomorrow,” Liesel whispered into his neck, smiling.

“Go to bed,” he grumbled, but pulled her closer, tucking her under his chin.

“Night”

“Goodnight”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The dawn came late, but it came bright and cold.  The air seemed to crackle and snap as Alton took a deep breath in.  He stomped back through the snow, back to barn from the outhouse. Shoving the heavy door closed, he noticed Liesel packing the sled, and Anik standing by, already hooked into his harness.  He crept up behind her and slid his arms around her waist.

“Where are you going, love?”

She started, and twisted out of his arms, “Just on a hunting trip.  We’re running out of meat, because  _ someone,”  _ she poked him in the chest, “brought a whole company of hungry men along with them when they invaded my home.”

“Well, I’m sure he’s very sorry about that, whoever he is, but I’m sure he’d make it up to you, somehow,” he said.

She laughed, but there was something harsh and broken about it.  It reminded him of the rough, croaking calls of the ravens as they fought, wheeling above the trees.  “I’m sure you would. But I have to get going. We’re burning daylight, and I need to get moving.” She shoved another pair of mittens into her pack, then said, “I’ll be gone a few days.  Think you’ll be alright without me?” Her half-smile was back, brown eyes asking for forgiveness.

Alton frowned, “Why?  I thought you said you’d be going on all the raids after yesterday.”

“Well, plans change.  We need to eat, Alt, and there isn’t anything left in these woods.  Either this group or the South have eaten or scared everything within ten miles away.  This’ll be a longer trip. I’m going to check the trapline, then come right back. I’ll be gone a maximum of two days.”

He sighed, “Alright.  Be safe, please.”

Liesel smiled again, sad and soft.  Drawing him into a hug, she said, “I always am, you big dumb ox.”

“I don’t know why I put up with you,” he grumbled, and bent down to kiss her.  

“Free room and board,” her hand rested on his cheek for a moment, before she stepped away and jumped on the sled.  “I’ll be back.”

“I’ll see you,” Alton waved as Anik pulled them out of the clearing.  He watched the place they had disappeared for a few minutes, half-hoping she’d come back.  There was an uneasy feeling deep in his stomach he didn’t know the reason for.

Bernard popped up from the cellar. “Where’s Liesel going?” he asked.

“Out hunting.  She’ll be back in a few days.”

Bernard frowned, “I thought we were good on supplies.  Why is she going now?”

Alton turned, “What do you mean?”

“We were talking last night, on the way back from the raid.  I asked about it, and she said we were set for a while.”

“Maybe we just need more meat.”

Bernard shook his head, “No, she said we had a good chunk left, still.”

They both turned to face the woods, “So what’s she doing, then?  She did seem,  _ off  _ when we talked.”

Bernard shrugged, “We’ll have to ask when she gets back.”  Alton sighed, and turned back to the barn, but Bernard grabbed his arm, and said, “Hey, I know you two are  _ involved  _ now, but if she’s keeping secrets, we need to know what they are.  This isn’t a situation where trust is optional. We need to know.”

Alton nodded, “I know.  I’ll talk to her.”

The other man nodded, “Good.  For the record, I think you two are good for each other.  I haven’t seen you smile this much in a while. Don’t let yourselves drift apart, y’know?”

Alton smiled, “Thanks Bernard.  In the meantime, we should start keeping an eye out for Robb in the next few days.  He should be here soon.”

“Yeah,” the other laughed. “Then we’ll see if we live through  _ that. _ ”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Liesel felt bad for lying.   _ Goddess, the one time you have something good, and what do you do?  You go ahead and ruin it. He’s going to hate me,  _ she thinks,  _ He’s going to think I’m running away.   _ Which, to be fair, is what she’s doing.

“Well, that’s what I’m  _ going  _ to be doing,” she said out loud.  Loaded on the sled were her most valuable possessions, her books, the rarer herbs and ingredients and the few nick-knacks and trinkets she couldn’t bear to part with.  The small, carved ivory bear from the children in the village, a small clay teapot from some small town in the west, where she had stayed for a few months, the tortoiseshell hair combs she had salvaged from the wreckage of Amma’s cabin.  Little things that held memories of people she had left behind.

While it  _ was  _ true she was going by the trapline cabin, it wasn’t her last stop.  It would be to easy to find her there, after the fact, so she would travel to the farthest point of the loop, and ditch her load there.  There was an old lean-to, old and decrepit, but somehow still sturdy. She had found it her first year here, and had no idea how old it was.  But every time she came past, it was still there. 

She had used it several times to avoid a sudden storm, and found it oddly warm and dry.  It didn’t surprise her, the odd nature of the structure. The forest was old, and far away from human inhabitants.  Sometimes things like the lean-to just appeared, or were leftovers of other, ancient magic-users. The lean-to always had an old, musty smell to it, and the feeling of an ancient, old church, sacred and hallowed.  

Still, Liesel wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth.  She would hide her possessions there, and on her way to... wherever she would go, she’d pick them up.  And if she didn’t survive, well, there would be another mystery for another to find.

“Hey, we’re here, boy,” she said, flicking the reins to halt Anik.  He grunted as they glided to a stop in front of the tiny cabin. “Just gotta grab a few things, I’ll be right back.”  

She tramped through the accumulated snow on the porch, no sign of her and Alton’s tracks from last week.  The interior was just as cold as outside, and her breath billowed in clouds around her head. It was so quiet, her footsteps on the creaking floorboards loud in her ears.  

Counting from the far wall, she pried up the fifth board, and found the molded leather bag that held the last of her treasures.  

Yanking the drawstring open, Liesel upended the bag, and let the leather bracers and other paraphernalia fall to the floor.  Sliding the cuffs onto her arms, she tried to remember what else she’d stowed away in here. 

Some extra arrow heads (she pocketed those), an old quartz crystal, streaked with gold dust on a string, and a tiny wooden box.  Taking a closer look, Liesel cracked the lid open, the wooden hinge stiff with age and disuse.

“Oh,” she breathed.  Nestled in the bunched cloth, were tiny plates of hammered brass, stamped with the impressions of tiny swifts, the bird poised in mid-flight.  The earrings were her coming of age present, from home. Not home, like the cabin, but  _ home  _ home.  The place where she was born.

Her grandmother, Annie Swift, had been very old when Liesel had come of age, and not fully aware of how the rest of the village, her own family felt about her.  But even with her foggy eyes and brain, her grandmother had remembered her name-day, and worked to flatten the expensive metal into thin discs, and press the family symbol into it.  “ _ You’re a Swift, whether they like it or not, _ ” the old woman had said, pressing the box into Liesel’s hands.

Her grandmother had died shortly after, and most of the family blamed Liesel for it, citing the extra work Grandmother had put into the earrings.  Liesel left the village shortly after. There was nothing left but misery and hate for her there.

Sniffling, she slid them into her ears, and shook her head to feel the weight of them against her skin.  Liesel took one last look at the cabin before she left, at the cobwebs, roush floor and tiny bed. The quartz shone dully in the weak light.  _Might as well,_ she thought, scooping it into her pocket as well.  Then she closed the door and walked away.

“Come on Anik,” she said, hopping onto the sled, “One more stop.  Then we’re done.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, sorry if this is kinda late. I'm taking 19 credits this term so I'm not really sure how much time I'll have for writing, and I jammed my finger over the weekend, so I took a break for the swelling to go down.   
> Oops. Also, in case you didn't know, a swift is a small bird, like a swallow.


	19. XIV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, school is wack, midterms are ongoing, here's this unedited piece of shit. Today, we learn a little bit more about Leisel's backstory and some more angst and a lot of fluff

The days after Liesel left were slow.  Every day, they sent a man out to the road to look for the reinforcements, and every day, he came back with nothing.  Each night, a few men took a few firebombs from their dwindling supply, let a few fires, and fled the enemy camp. They had to be quick, as there were more soldiers than there were before, which wasn’t unusual.  What  _ was  _ unusual was the strange weapons they carried.  Long poles with loops of banded metal on the ends, huge shields that dragged through the snow.

“They don’t seem to be using them,” Christoff remarked one night around the fire one night, “It just weighs them down, doesn’t seem useful at all.  I can’t figure it out.”

“Watch for them tomorrow night,” Alton said, “We don’t know what they’re up to, but it probably not good for us.”

“Oh, you mean they’re  _ not  _ preparing fine tea and cakes for us to enjoy the next time we ride in?  I’m shocked,” 

Alton laughed, and shoved snow down Christoff’s collar.

The next day was much the same, the only disturbances when the men all rushed outside anytime a raven flew overhead, hoping for the missive from Robb.  It never was.

“There are too many damn ravens in this forest,” Kay grumbled after the fifth time they had heard cawing.

Finally, mid-morning of the third day, Liesel returned, a brace of ptarmigan over her shoulder.  “Alton,” she said, drawing him into an embrace, “How have things been. Haven’t burned down the barn, eh?”

“Not for lack of trying, though.  We got a few more firebombs made, but had to stop once we ran out of ingredients,” he said, pressing a kiss onto the top of her head, “We’ll try harder next time.”

She laughed, “I’d rather you don’t.  Could you unhook Anik? He’s grumpy I haven’t brushed him in a few days, I think he’s itchy.”

“Of course,” he said, “Where are you going?”

Liesel turned back to face him from where she’d slung a bag over her shoulder, and picked up the birds, “I have to pluck these, and get them up in the cache.  I won’t be long.”

He hesitated, remembering the way she’d been avoiding him before she left, and said, “Liesel, we need to talk,” he paused, trying to find the right words, “There’s been some things brought to my attention-”  

Her brow furrowed, “Of course, anything.  I just want to get this done and out of the way.  Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine.  But we need to talk.”

He smile wavered, “Anything,” she said, “I’ll be right back.”

“Huh,” Alton muttered as he watched her climb the ladder into the cache.  He turned back into the barn and began to unbuckle Anik’s harness. “She’s acting really weird, y’know.  I hope it’s nothing important. I need... I want to be able to trust her.” The harness slid the the floor with a jingle.  Scooping it up, he rubbed a hand down Anik’s back, watching fur fly up, “I don’t know why I’m talking to you, hairy. Goddess knows I’m crazy enough as it is.”

“He’s a good listener,” Liesel said as she entered the barn, “Plus, if talking to him once, for thirty seconds make you crazy, I’m absolutely batshit.  I’ve been talking to him for years.”

“I can tell.  That’s probably why he’s so ornery,” he smiled, and pulled her into another hug, “We need to talk.”

She mumbled into his chest, “About what?”

He sighed, “Bernard said you told him we had enough meat for a while yet.  But then you go off hunting saying we don’t. It’s got some of the men nervous.  They still don’t really trust you. But I do, or I want too. But I can’t if you keep lying.”  He tilted her head up to look her in the eye. “Liesel, what’s going on? You’ve been off these last few days, and with everything going on, I need to be able to have complete faith in you.  Not just as a lover, but also as a commander of my men. I need to know we’re safe.”

“It’s nothing, Alton, I promise.  I just... “ she sighed, “So much has happened, and there were some things I needed to check on, I needed to make sure they were still safe.”

He frowned, “Like what?”

“Old books, keepsakes, things like that.  This area’s going to become a warzone, I need to make sure everything is tucked away.”

He brushed a finger against one of the earrings he’d noticed, “Like these?”

She smiled, “Yeah, they’re from my grandmother.  From back home.” She took a breath, “Something’s not right, either.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m uneasy, and I don’t know why.  My magic is uneasy, it feels kind of like pins and needles under my skin.  It’s done this before, and it’s always been a warning. I don’t know what it is, but we need to be careful.  I suppose I had to go out and make sure I couldn’t find anything wrong.”

“Did you?”

“No, not a thing.”

“Hmm,”  They stayed like that for a long time, wrapped in each other’s arms, slowly swaying to a beat only they could hear.  Eventually, Alton said, “It’s almost dinner time. I should make sure Christoff’s actually warming the stew or flirting with Kay again.”

Liesel laughed, and he felt her shake against him, “I’ll be down soon.  I need to brush Anik out, or he’ll start shedding enough to drown us all in hair.”

Alton laughed, and kissed her cheek, “Alright, I’ll see you in a bit.”

 

After dinner, they’ve retreated to the hayloft, away from prying eyes.  Sprawled against each other, Alton’s fingers slowly carding through her hair.  “Tell me more about your home. I barely know anything about you.”

“This is my home,” she said, voice soft and careful.

“I mean where you’re from, your childhood.”

He feels her let out a long sigh against him, “I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Why?”

“It’s not a happy story.  It’s just me, moving around a lot, trying to blend in.”

“Fine then, what about here, your home.  What are the summers like?”

She tilts her head to look at him, “What brings this on?” 

“You love this place, anyone can see that.  You make even the winters beautiful to me, and I want to hear about the summers too.  I still want to know about these” he brushes the earrings again, the metal against Liesel’s skin making her shiver, “But I just like hearing you speak.”

Liesel stays quiet for a while, before she says, “They’re beautiful.  Spring is always so slow to come, but when it does, the snow melts and leaves everything brown and muddy.  Everything the snow hid is left bare. There’s always one day, one single day, where all the buds on the trees open up, and the entire forest is bright green.  The locals call it ‘green-up day’.

Summers are warm and sleepy.  The nights have a strange quality to them, because the days get longer and longer.  It could be the middle of the night, and it’s still twilight. If you’re up high enough, you can watch the sun dip and skim the horizon, but never touch it.  Everything’s green, everything’s growing, making up for lost time.

Sometimes there are fires, far away, and the smoke clouds the sky so the sun shines pink, the color of salmon.  On those nights, the sky can turn completely yellow or orange or pink when the sun gets low, and it looks like the world’s ending.”

He listens to her talk, speaking slowly, her eyes far away.  “That sounds frightening.”

She laughed, “It was, the first time.  But when I went into town the next day, I asked Anka about it.  She told me it was the smoke. After that, it was kind of beautiful.

I lived alone, away from anybody else, so it was easy to imagine myself, alone, watching the world end.  It was kind of peaceful, like watching a campfire.”

“Hmm, sounds lonely,” he murmured into her hair.

“It was, I suppose,” There was a profound sadness in her voice, “But it was nice, to be able to watch everything, with no one around, no distractions.  Like watching the turn of the Earth.”

Alton frowned, and she turned her head to press kisses onto the underside of his jaw, “It wasn’t the worst thing.  Stop worrying, love, I was alright.”

“I know,” he whispered, “You’ve just spent so much of your life alone.”

“I’m not alone now,” she whispered, their lips brushing as they moved, foreheads touching, before sliding further onto his chest and connecting their mouths in a slow, burning kiss.

It wasn’t rough, or harsh, but there was weight behind it, firm against each other’s mouths.  This was layers on layers of heavy quilts, a firm warm pressure, all-encompassing and reassuring the other that they were there.

Alton broke away first, “Liesel,” his voice was hoarse and low, murmured promises against her skin.  “You’ll never be alone again, I swear. I’ll always be here, always.” 

He felt wetness hit his cheek, and looked up to see Liesel with tears running down her cheeks.  “I’m fine,” she croaked, “I just, you can’t promise that.”

“I can, and I will.  Please, let me promise.  I won’t break it.” 

She gave him a watery smile, and sniffed, “You big old sap, what am I going to do with you?”

He rolled them over, covering her body with his, “Anything you like,” and dove back down to her lips.  

It might have been hours later when Liesel, flushed between kisses, gasped out, “Isn’t there supposed to be a raid tonight?  Shouldn’t you go attend to that,  _ Captain _ ?”, she pressed her hips closer to his at that word, breathing the word right in his ear.

Alton groaned, and ground out, “N-no.  Not enough firepower for every night, we’re spreading them out.  Keeps ‘em on their toes too.”

He could feel her grin against his neck as she smiled, “Good.  It’d be a shame if you had to leave now.”

“Uh-huh. Yes. Yep. That’d be bad.”

“It really would.”

Liesel’s hands were cool against his skin as they wandered up his ribs under his shirt.  His own hands wandered up her back, fingers slipping under her breast band, reveling in the warmth and the feel of corded muscle beneath her skin.  He bit down on her bottom lip, before tracing one of the runes on her neck with his tongue, drawing a surprised groan out of her chest. Her fingers, which had been carding through his hair, tightened, and she yanked his head back, mouthing another mark on his neck.

“Liesel... “ gasping, he tugged on her shirt, “Can I..?”

“Yes... yes, but you too.  Off, now.”

They pulled back for a minute, each struggling to get their shirts off as quickly as possible.  When he finally pulled the damn thing over his head, Liesel was watching him, eyes huge and pupils blown.  They were almost glowing, glowing with the same green shine cat’s do in low light. “Oh... wow,” she murmured.  She tentatively reached out and cupped his cheek almost reverently. “You’re just... “ she lunged forward and pressed their mouths together again.

They were flush with each other and Liesel shifted her hips, slotting one of her legs between his.  Alton groaned, bringing one hand down to her hips and pressing them together further. Together, they ground against each other, bodies moving as one.

“Hey Alton, up for some cards-oOH MY GODS!”

Liesel started, and Alton was blown back in a plume of green mist.  He landed with a grunt in a pile of hay across the room.

“MY EYES!” Bernard wailed, head and shoulders poking over the edge of the loft.

“Bernard!  What the fuck, ever heard of knocking?!” Liesel yelled.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, there’s nowhere to knock, it’s open air, no walls, no doors!  I’m sorry, what were you thinking?!”

“We  _ weren’t  _ thinking, that’s the point!”

“ _ Liesel! _ ” Alton yelped, spitting out hay, scandalized.  “Bernard, could you please leave and never speak to anyone,  _ ever,  _ about this?” 

“It would give me no greater pleasure to forget this ever happened Captain,” he said, and began descending the ladder.  Alton flushed, remembering what Liesel had called him, minutes before.  _ Well that’s going to be an inconvenient word association in the future,  _ he thought.

“I’m sorry about him,” he said to Liesel, flushed as well and pulling her shirt back over her head.  He reddened even more when he noticed the blush went down to the edge of her breast band. “Um, well, I don’t know what-”

“Oh, wait.  Do you want to play cards?” Bernard popped his head back up the ladder.

“NO!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyway. That happened. Fyi, that was the first time I've written anything like that so lemme know if it sucked or not. Things will be speeding up (hopefully) in the next chapter or so, so watch out for that. Peace :)


	20. CH. XX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OwO what's this? An update? I'm sorry, I had midterms. Also FYI maybe a little bit of body horror and gore if that freaks you out. Mostly near the end so watch out friends!

Truly, Liesel thought, it wasn’t a good night for this.  Granted, there really wasn’t  _ any _ good time to provoke an enemy that outnumbered you fifty to one, but tonight was especially bad for it.  Bitterly cold, no moon, and old snow, the kind that creaked loudly when stepped upon and had a habit of forming a crust that collapsed the second you decided to trust your footing.

Christoff yelped as his foot sunk suddenly in the snow, “Ow!”

Alton twisted to face him, “You alright?”

He winced, “I will be, in a minute.  Gah, twisted my ankle.”

“Can you keep going?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine, I just need to-” he cut off suddenly, hissing, as he limped a step forward.

Alton sighed, “Alright, you’re heading back, take one of the horses.  Someone’ll have to share.”

“Oh, you don’t need to do that cap’n, I’ll manage fine on my own.”

“No, you won’t,” Liesel stepped forwards, “You still don’t know your way back to the cabin in the daytime, let alone at night.  You’d get lost and freeze, and then the horse would freeze and we’d be at even more of a loss.”

“You need to work on your pep-talks,” Bernard mused.

She slid off Anik’s back and handed the reins to Christoff.  “Here, take him. He knows the way back, he’ll get you there safe.”

“But what about you?”

“Oh, I’ll ride with Alton, it’ll be fine.”

“Oh yeah, she’s real used to riding things with Alton,” Bernard snorted, and Liesel felt the tips of her ears gain some feeling back, burning hot.

“Can we keep the comments from the peanut gallery to a minimum please?” Alton cut in, his own ears cherry red in the cold.

“Sure cap’n, as long as you keep things worthy of a peanut gallery to a minimum,”

Alton heaved a long-suffering sigh, and turned back to Christoff, “You’ll be okay?”

He grinned, “Of course, I got this guy,” he scratched behind Anik’s ears, “to keep me safe.”  Anik grunted, and passed gas loudly.

Everyone in a five foot radius leaned back, and Kay said, “Yeah, if nothing else, that’ll sure kill the enemy before they even get close.”

“Alright, enough of that.  Christoff, get back to the clearing and take it easy.  We’ll be back at our usual time. Everybody else, are you ready?”

“Aye, sir!” came the reply.

“Alright, then, let’s get moving.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was perhaps less fine than Liesel had previously thought.  She was sat behind Alton, her chest pressed close to his back and arms wrapped around his waist.  She grinned, and gave a playful squeeze.

“Hey, you.  Hands off. This is serious business,” he said, but she could hear the smile in his voice.  

“Can’t help it.  You’re just too soft.”  He was warm and solid against her, “Also I don’t want to fall off.”

Alton snorted, “Oh that would be a tragedy.”  They both laughed and lapsed into silence. Wind whistled through the trees and the stars shone bright with no moon to dim them.  

After a while, they drew to a halt.  “We’re here. Are we ready?”

“Yeah, we know the drill.  Get in, set some stuff on fire, then get out,” Bernard said, “Let’s go!” and started over the hill towards the camp.

“Bernard, have I ever told you how much easier my life would be without you?” Alton called to him.

“Yeah, but think of how boring it’d be!” Bernard laughed as the group charged over the knoll, spilling down into the sea of tents.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a raven waiting for him when Christoff got back.  “ _ Shit, _ ” he hissed, barely noticing the Northern Kingdom’s seal holding the note closed.  He almost ripped the paper in his haste to open it.

‘ _ Alton, we sit just out of view on the far side of town.  We’re 1,500 strong, with word sent to the capitol for further aid.  Several commanders with us. If we do not receive a response, we will assume your death and proceed to attack at noon tomorrow.  I hope this is not the case. Write with a meeting place, so we may better plan our attack. ~Robb _

“Shit,” he cursed, “There’s no time.  C’mon Anik, we need to get moving.” As Anik trundled back off into the woods, Christoff asked, “You know the way, right?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
“This is actually going surprisingly well!” Liesel yelled over the din as they rode through the battle.  She loosed another arrow and watched as it erupted in a plume of green flame, obliterating the thin canvas tent.  

“It is!  Just a little longer, then we’ll fall back!” Alton yelled over his shoulder.  His feet weren’t in the stirrups, Liesel’s were, standing to shoot as they rode through the burning camp.

She crouched, nokking another arrow, before straightening up again to fire.  She felt the muscles in her back pull and contract as she drew her bow. It was a motion she had done hundreds of times before, something easy, and natural.

What was not natural was the heavy weight of another bolt slamming into her shoulder.  She was jerked back, off the horse and into the snow, rolling to avoid landing on her injured shoulder.  “Why is it always the same godsdamned shoulder!” she yelled, sitting up. Liesel cried out again her body was jerked to the side, slamming her down onto the ground once more.  Looking up, she realized the thick bolt had a wickedly barbed head, poking through the other side, and a long rope attached the the end, like the harpoons the villages used for whale hunting.  And there were soldiers on the other end of that rope. 

“Oh, shit,” Liesel hissed, and lit her hands ablaze.  She saw the light reflect the fear in their eyes and they yanked harder on the rope.  She screamed as the shaft jolted in her body, sliding back until the barbed tip kept it from coming out.  

She was dragged across the mess of snow and mud, kicking wildly to escape.  “Liesel!” Alton was riding back towards her, panic written on his face. He jerked his horse around and turned back for her.  More horsemen cut him off, blocking his way. 

The bolt jerking in her shoulder again, and she cried out, grasping at the bolt, the rope,  _ anything  _ to get it to stop.  Finally, one of her hands found purchase, grasping the woven cord, and she pushed all the energy possible into that one hand.  The rope weakened and snapped, and Liesel rolled to a stop, where she lay for a moment, trying to catch her breath.

The noise and clamor around her forced her to move.  More and more soldiers surrounding her, with strange, long lances and heavy shields.  Swearing, she scrambled to her feet, “shitshitshitshit,” becoming increasingly frantic.  They were on all sides now, and closing in. Liesel felt the magic run down her arms, lighting up the runes on  her skin, flickering behind her eyes, and condense around her fingers, oozing into the snow below.

In the hammered metal of their shields, she could see a fuzzy reflection of herself, glowing green, almost flickering with it.  She saw the soldiers draw back in fear, and grinned.  _ Let them,  _ she thought,  _ no skin off my back.   _

“Were you looking for me?” she sneered, “Looking for the  _ witch? _ ”  She let her eyes flare brighter, coaxing her magic to creep from her chest up her throat, almost translucent.  She saw them flinch back, and struck.

She struck, sending a blast of energy towards the closest group of soldiers, sending them flying back.  The others took this as a cue to move in. There was only so much Liesel could do. The pointed bottoms of their shields dug into the ground, and wouldn’t budge when she struck them.  She was trapped in an ever tightening circle.

Frantically, she searched for Alton, Bernard, Kay,  _ anyone,  _ but they were nowhere to be seen.  Cursing, Liesel realized they had been led into a trap.  At her increasingly hopeless situation, she felt a cold certainty take over her.  She wasn’t going down without a fight, and she would take as many as she could down with her.  

She roared, and let the ever-present ball of energy in her chest expand outward.  Charging, she rushed the nearest man, pulling a knife from her belt and gutting him.  He fell, taking it with him, and she reached for another. Now the circle was closer, and she could see the lances better.  Liesel felt an icy rush of adrenalin flow through her veins. Loops of metal, strung at the ends of long poles, treated iron, etched with runes of binding.  

She threw the knife at the closest man with a lance, but another took his place.  Liesel cursed, all out of knives.  _ Back to the basics,  _ she thought, and let the magic condense at her fingertips again.

Truly, she must have looked a sight.  A gaping wound in her shoulder, windpipe translucent, glowing as were her eyes, runes lit up all up and down her arms, and teeth bared in a snarl as she lept towards the nearest soldier with her bare hands.  The man’s face was white as her hands, dripping magic, cut through his neck like hot butter. He gurgled and fell. Another stepped forward to take his place.

She paid him no mind, twirling to face the next soldier, catching his arm.  Her hands, her magic burning through his bracer, before she punched him once in the face.

Then something shoved her over.  Onto the injured shoulder. Liesel cried out, the cried out again as something closed around her ankle.  It burned like ice and fire, seeming to cut straight through her boot, and reach up, up her leg and torso into the center of her chest, leaching Darke, desiccated emptiness all the way.

Liesel thrashed in the snow, magic instinctively trying to burn the intruder away.  Maybe she would have succeeded, but another loop closed around a wrist, then the other, each burning and leaving more gaping emptiness then the last.  

As the last loop closed around her other ankle, she faded out of consciousness, mind hazy with pain and the feeling of such  _ wrongness,  _ she thought she heard someone call her name in the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know those little loops they use to catch snakes and alligators? That's where I got the idea for those weird lances. Have fun with that information. As always, I did not read this before I posted it.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm not dead. Uh, so this got really dark, watch out for that. If you're squicked out by blood/body horror, my bad. Just read till the '~~~~~' The whole rest of it's gore. I'll leave a summery down below. So yeah. Enjoy.

The din of battle was, as always, the loudest thing in the world, but he could still hear the pounding of his heart in his ears.  It had been going so well. Him and Liesel, working together like a well-oiled machine. He had glanced back and seen her standing tall and strong, perched behind him, glowing in the night.  Alton had looked away for one second, and she was gone. 

He remembered the way his stomach had dropped when he looked back, and saw her dragged through the snow, a huge shaft through her shoulder, leaving a bloody streak behind her.

He remembered yanking his horse around, trying to fight his way to her side, and being cut off, him and the rest of his men.  Kay, steady, level Kay had stopped him, “We need to turn back. We’re all going to die if we stay. Liesel would have wanted this,” he had said, like she was already dead.

He remembered the broken shriek she had let out when they had finally pinned her to the ground, thrashing in the slush and mud at first, but slowly slumping and stilling.  He’d called out her name, voice cracking, before Bernard turned him around and gotten him out of there.  

He hadn’t seen what they had done to her after.  They had disappeared into the trees, leaving him to wonder if they had killed her then and there, or were waiting to do it.  Riding back through the night, he couldn’t help but picture the South, and all the horrible things Liesel had described to him.  The things they did to magic-users.

They were back at the cabin already.  Alton hadn’t noticed the passing of time, but the frozen, hollow feeling in his chest was proof of how long they’d been out there.  Staring at the cheery glowing of the barn lights, he couldn’t imagine them without Liesel.

Someone made tea, and they sat around and drank it.  “We’ll get her back Cap’n,” said Bernard solemnly for once.  

“I’m sure she’s busting out of there right now.  She’s a tough one, she’ll be fine,” said Kay.  

There was somebody missing, Alton noticed.  “Where’s Christoff?” 

Everyone’s heads jerked up in what would have been funny if not for the circumstances.  “He’s not here,” Kay said, voice tight, “But where would he have gone?”

“Maybe Anik got lost?”

“No,” Alton said, “he wouldn’t get lost.  Liesel-” he broke off, stumbling over her name, “Liesel taught him too well.  He knows his way through the woods just like her.”

Bernard grasped Alton’s arm, “Captain.  Alton. I’m sorry about Liesel. I know you two were... close.”  Alton only nodded, and looked at the ground.

Bernard hesitated, and said, “Do you want to go back for her?”

“I don’t- I don’t know.  I don’t know if she’s alive or dead, and if she _is,_ Gods, the things they _do_ to people like her.  If she is alive, and I don’t go for her- if I leave her there, I’d never forgive myself.”

“Then we’ll go,” Kay said, firmly. 

Alton shook his head, “I can’t ask you to do that, it’s too dangerous, too-”

“Alton,” he stopped, and looked up at his friends.  “She’s our friend too. We’ll help you.”

For a moment, he was quiet, then said, “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, Captain.  Well, anything but gutting cave worms.  Or killing bog-slimes. Or anything involving copious amounts of mucus.  I draw the line there,” Bernard said with a grin, and pulled his captain in for a hug.

“Thank you.  Thank you all,” Alton said again.

“Think nothing of it,” Kay said, “We’re all stuck here anyways, might as well do what we can.   We also still need to figure out what happened to Christoff.”

The room was quiet once more as they tried not to jump to the most obvious, dismal conclusion.  “Well,” Alton said, breaking the silence, “If he’s not here, where would he be? What could have stopped him from getting here?”

“He did get here.”  A broad, short man named Fisher piped up, “I saw the tracks as we came in.  The beast’s tracks were out front in the snow, fresh. Along with some, uh, droppings.”

“And you didn’t think to let us know earlier?”

Fisher shifted awkwardly, “Well earlier we hadn’t established he hadn’t gotten here yet.”

“Well now we know he did.  So why did he leave?” Alton asked tiredly, rubbing his forehead.

They were all quiet for a moment, thinking.  “There’s no signs of a struggle,” Kay said, “So it wasn’t an ambush.  Nothing’s disturbed or out of place, so they still haven’t found us.”

“There must be _some_ reason!  He wouldn’t just go off on his own, not with so much at stake.  He knows we need every man available. He couldn’t even walk for the Gods sakes,” Bernard exclaimed.

Fisher was rooting around in the corner, still recovering from Alton’s exasperated glare, when he picked up a small scroll off the floor.  “Uh, guys,” he said, “I think I know where he went.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Liesel woke up to a burning emptiness that seemed to hover in her belly, where the warm glow of magic usually rested.  Her head felt like a brick; heavy, full of sharp edges and gritty. It was difficult to move her limbs, they didn’t feel quite attached, numb and tingling, and seemed to be shaking.

With difficulty, she lifted her head and squinted around the room.  She was chained to a sturdy wooden table, splintery wood digging into her back, with the same thick manacles she had seen on the end of those poles.  The same emptiness leeched into her skin and seemed to slither down her arms. She gave one an experimental tug, only to fall back, gasping as the metal burned her skin, burned the magic from her soul, little by little.

“I wouldn’t to that it I were you.”  He stepped out from behind her. There are some people who, just by looking at them, you are able to tell that they have never had a bad thought about anyone.  All the lovely, kind thoughts they have seem to shine from their face. Even when they have beady eyes, crooked teeth or unkempt hair, they are still somehow the most beautiful in the room.  This man was not one of these people. In fact he seemed the exact opposite.

Light seemed to strike his face especially hard, bouncing off the gaunt edges of his cheeks, and casting deep shadows wherever it didn’t touch.  His eyes shone bright as bone left in the desert with none of the warmth, sunken deep into the edges of his skull. Thin lips pulled away from the teeth, as if his own flesh was afraid of him.  Even his hair seemed to dislike him, trying to curl away from his head.

“You’ll work yourself clear down to the bone before you get out of those cuffs,” he said, seeming far too delighted at the idea for Liesel’s taste.

When she didn’t respond, he continued, “I must say, we didn’t expect, of all our problems, for a witch to be the biggest one.  We were terribly unprepared for such things, you’ll have to excuse the mess.”

Looking around, she could see the various books and vials, all reeking of Darke magic, seeming to hover and collect around the man in front of her.  “I’m surprised you went to such lengths for me. Should I be flattered?” she asked. Her own voice shocked her, low and rough, like she’d been screaming for a long time.

“You could be,” he seemed to slide closer, looming above her, “It’s been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to dismantle such a powerful user.”  He brushed a hand down the side of her face and Liesel resisted the urge to shudder. His skin felt like cold, dry parchment.  

“Oh, _yes,_ you’ll do nicely,” he crooned.  “We’ll have to get started right away, you’re going to take a long time to drain.”

Liesel felt a chill wash over that had nothing to do with the cuffs.  “O-Oh, I thought you guys couldn’t do that all at once. Keep us alive for a little while longer?”  She tried for a cocky grin, but it probably just looked like a grimace. Subtly, she tried to work her right hand free of the cuff, trying not to wince as it cut and burned at her skin.

“You’re behind on the times, pet, we’ve come a long way,” he grinned down at her and went to fuss with something on the workbench beside her.  “You’ll see it’s a much quicker, more efficient process, but-” he glanced at her with a gleam in his eyes, “still very painful.”  

Liesel began to struggle in earnest now, paying no mind to the searing pain washing through her body.  Her magic, in pain and as tormented as she was, writhed unhappily in her gut, lighting up her runes, and illuminating the bones and organs beneath her skin.

“Oh, _yes,_ look at that,” he poked her belly, where her ribcage shone through, “It already wants out, we should help it, yes?”  

“No, nonono, we shouldn’t, we shouldn’t, we- “ she was cut off as the man drew out a large knife and plunged it into her belly.  Liesel threw her head back and screamed as he made a six inch cut, from her navel to her sternum. He withdrew the knife and turned away to the workbench again, and Liesel was left gasping on the table like a gutted fish, her magic sputtering and healing slowly to keeper from bleeding out.  

She couldn’t even find it in herself to scream as he turned back and pried the cut a little wider with his bare hands, only letting out a low moan as she felt something inside her slide to the side as his hand brushed against it.  From the size, she guessed it was her liver.  

“One moment, then we’ll begin,” he grinned, and turned back with a large jar reinforced with iron bands, and a long tube attached to the lid.  “Of course, you’re so powerful, you’ll probably fill at least five of these,” he said. He set the jar by her head, and lifted the other end of the tube.  It looked almost like a metal spider, with long wires legs all joining at the end of the tube. “This just attaches here,” he said, and jammed it up into the gaping hole in her stomach, just behind her sternum.  Liesel cried out again, as she felt the metal bite into the muscle and bone of her chest cavity. “You may feel a slight pinch.” She felt his slick fingers fumble with something on the joining of the wires, and flick a switch.  She screamed as the metal wires clamped down, claw-like, and dig in even further.  

The jar began to vibrate as a terrible pulling sensation radiated outward from the metal in her chest.  The burning emptiness from before, magnified a hundred times. Liesel didn’t recognise the sounds coming out of her mouth, pushed from her throat by pure, animal terror and pain, almost a gasping choke.  Her chest heaved as she tried to breath, but was hindered by the metal tangled in her ribs. It felt like she was shaking apart, but lasting forever, blinded by pain as the burning emptiness spread.

Vaguely, she felt the man attach two more jars, one on each side of the wound.  Slowly, out of the corner of her eye, Liesel saw brilliant blue light creeping up the tubes and drip into the jars.

“I’ll be back to check on those in a few hours,” the man said as he left the tent, “Don’t worry, they fill slowly.”  He left Liesel to gasp and shudder, stomach splayed open on the table, to her agony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summery: Leisel is awoken by the evil looming stranger from before, and he cuts her open and starts to drain the magic out of her.  
> Also yeah, sorry this took so long. I had no idea where to take this, or how to write it, so I didn't, then finals happened, then I went home and started work, ect. Hopefully I'll be back in the swing of things pretty soon. :) Also sorry Leisel.


	22. CH. XXII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah sorry its been months. Work was a lot. Here's this.

The sky was the pale, delicate purple of dusk when Alton’s group found the soldiers.  Nestled behind a small hill and a copse of trees, they were hidden from view of the main road.  A man with a crossbow stood watch from a supply wagon.  He stiffened and shouted when he saw them approach,

“Not one step further!  Identify yourselves!”

“Captain Alton Ericsonof the 9th Company I’m the one who called you here.  These are my men.  We bring news of the Southern encampment.”

“Boread’s Balls, really pulling out the fancy talk there, eh Cap’n?” Bernard muttered.

“Will you shut up?  I’m trying to remember all those wartime protocols,” Alton hissed.  The stiff, formal call and response was left over from the last king’s reign, part of his movement to glorify war and elevate the status of certain generals whom the king favored.  The system was corrupt, and had been mostly removed by the current monarch, but vestiges remained. 

The sentry looked confused, then annoyed, “That’s not the right wording.  You started off alright, but you’re supposed to say, ‘In the service of King soandso I come with’ and so on.  You left that part out.”

Alton sighed.  “Look, it’s obviously me, can you just let whoever’s in charge know I’m here?”

The guard frowned, “I’m really not supposed to.  You could be anyone, a spy for the Southern!”

“Well if I was, you just told me what I was supposed to say.  I can say it again if you’d like?”

The man’s face went pale, “No!  You didn’t say the lines.  You could still be Southern spies, you know.”

Alton groaned, “Look, is there anyone else up there we could talk to?  Someone with half a brain perhaps?”

“No, I’m on guard duty until Irnham takes my place in half an hour-” “He just told us the perfect opportunity to attack,” Kay muttered. “-and I’m not about to mess it up in the home stretch.” 

“Porten, _what_ are you doing?” another man ran up beside the guard, “That’s Captain Alton, he’s the one that called us here!  Let him in, time is of the essence!”  The newcomer, clearly of higher rank, bellowed at the trembling man.

“Oh!  Yes sir, sorry sir, come right in sirs!”  He waved them in frantically.

“What an idiot,” mumbled Bernard.

“Sorry about him, he’s new.  First war and all, you know?”  The newcomer, a captain by the looks of it, walked with them, “I’ll show you to the general, he’s with your man Robb and Christoff.  Say-“ he turned to them, and asked, “He rode in on a funny looking beast, biggest thing I’ve ever seen with a saddle on, I’ll tell you that.  Where do you suppose he got it?”

“Uh,” Alton stumbled as he struggled to think up an explanation for where they had gotten a domesticated, native animal.

Bernard stepped in for him, “Found it.  The North is weird, you know?  Also found a set of playing cards, but they had a funny feel to ‘em so we left them be,” he lowered his voice dramatically, “They might have been, y’know, _haunted._ ” 

That must have been enough for the captain, who had heard all the strange stories coming from the North.  He nodded and continued, “We’ve got both him and the beast warm and comfortable.  He let us know the Southern forces have grown since young Robb left you, and we’re trying to piece together an attack strategy.  I assume you’ll do the same?”

Alton nodded, “Whatever we can do.”

 

The table the general sat at was sturdy and worn from years of use.  Around him were a few other captains like Alton, and Robb and Christoff at the other end. 

“General Orlan.  It’s an honor to see you again sir,” Alt said, shaking the man’s hand firmly. 

“You too, my boy.  It’s been too long.”

“But not long enough, seems we only see each other at wartime.”

The older man gave a weary chuckle, “I suppose that’s true.  Come, sit.  It seems we have much to discuss.”  He eased himself into his chair.  Alton considered him for a moment.  Orlan did look older, his face with a few more lines, his face a little thinner.  He moved with a limp he didn’t remember and sighed when he finally settled in his seat.

“Now, from the reports your men have given me, the South have up to a thousand men here already.  His majesty is sending more troops up but they’ll not arrive for another month or so.  We have enough to hold them here until then.  However, it seems we have no maps.” 

The room hung silent for a few moments, as the general’s matter-of-fact tone took them off guard. 

“Let me clarify,” he continued when no one spoke up, “When young Robb came to us, and told us of the Southern forces, we immediately started to plan for a counter attack.  Or, we tried too.  We asked him where the South were located, he said, ‘the hallow near the mountain pass’.  Nobody knew where that was so we showed him a map of the area and said, ‘point to it here’.  He looked at the map for a good long while, and finally said, ‘it’s here’ and pointed to a spot on the table, a few inches off the paper.  You see our problem.

“Gentlemen, we cannot mount a proper attack without knowledge of the landscape, possible cover, escape points and terrain information.  Without a map, we are without information.  Scouts sent out returned lost and shivering.  None of us have navigated this particular climate before.  We can’t possibly mount a successful attack without information, and it would put us at a disadvantage to wait for them to come to us.  Simply put, we’re stuck.  Does anyone have any ideas as to how-“ General Orlan trailed off as Alton almost sheepishly placed the folded map on the table before him.

“Alton, what’s that?”

“It’s a map, sir.  Of the area.  The Southern camp, mountain pass, and local landmarks and conditions are all marked.”

The general blinked, then grinned.  “Well,” he said, “I think we’ve got a lot of planning to do.”

 

Hours later, when the others had been shown to tents where they could rest, Orlan called for Alton to stay behind. 

“My dear friend, it’s been too long,” the wizened old general smiled.

“It has.  How’s the wife?”

“Oh, ornery as always.  When I told her I had to leave for Fairbank she told me not to freeze my cock off, being the only good part of me left,” he chuckled.

Alton laughed, “That does sound like Gert.”

“Have some spirits, boy.  Warms the blood in these cold lands.”  Orlan poured them both a drink from the bottle on the table.  “To victory,” he said, and raised his glass.

“To victory,” Alton echoed.

They both drank in silence for a while, before Orlan set his cup down and pulled the map in front of him.

“Alton, you’re not telling me something,” he began.  His voice was grave and his eyes heavy.  “Nobody makes maps further than Fairbank.  Where did you get this.”

Alton felt the liquor in his belly sour, and turn to lead.  “I bought it in the village, there was a local mapmaker-“

“This isn’t professional quality, son.  This is amateur work.  Incredibly detailed, but no cartographer forgets the scale.”  He pointed to the bottom right corner, where the marking stating how many miles an inch of the map was.

“He was a bad mapmaker-“

Orlan slammed his hand down on the table, “DON’T lie to me!  I know you Alton, I know you’re hiding something, and I know you don’t hide things for yourself.  You hide things for other people.”

The general sighed, and sat back in his chair.  “Your last assignment was to find the witch living North of the village.  This map was made by someone with expert knowledge of the land North of Fairbank, land nobody has explored since the kingdom was established.  There’s marks here for herb gathering spots, ley lines and probably more evidence of magic.  Your friend came riding in on a witch’s beast.  This is a witch’s map, Alton.  And you didn’t let her go to come rushing here to help.”

Orlan leaned close and asked, “What’s going on Alton?  I’m not going in blind.”

Feeling like Anik had kicked him in the chest, Alton let out a shaky breath.  “You can’t tell anyone about this.  Swear it.”

Orlan raised his eyebrows, but did. 

“It was a regular mission,” he began, “We scouted the town, gathered information, and went after her.  We had actually caught her, and we were on our way back. 

While we were in the woods, the South had attacked Fairbank, slaughtered the villagers.  She had _friends_ there, Orlan.  Friends she saw die in front of her, and I-  I didn’t know what to do.  We were clearly outnumbered.  It would have been suicide to stay and fight.  We ran back into the woods, and I had no idea where we were going, but Leisel kept them off our tail and led us back to her cabin.

She was more afraid of them than of us, I guess.  I don’t know if you’ve heard the stories of what they do to witches in the South, but-“

“I’ve have", he said gravely. 

“She decided to help us, Goddess knows why.  She kept us alive, we wouldn’t have lasted a week without her, she nearly _died_ for us, willing to give up everything for us, and now-“  Alton couldn’t go on, couldn’t think, couldn’t _stop_ thinking of what they were doing to her.

“The South has her then?” Orlan asked.  Alton's silence gave him the answer.

“She’s a friend?”

Alton shifted in his seat.

“More than a friend.” The general sat back in his chair.  Alton blushed.

There was an awkward pause before Orlan cleared his throat.  “I see,” he said delicately.  “Well, I suppose if we find this witch it won’t cause too much of a ruckus to lose her in the chaos.”

Alton’s head jerked up, “Really?”

“Well, we can hardly account for every single body, living or dead.  If she happens to slip away or go missing her death will likely be assumed.”

“Sir, thank you, I-“

“What are you thanking me for, I only said bodies are misplaced in wartime.”

“I- yes, of course.  You’re right.”

“So one shouldn’t get too attached to those bodies or they’ll end up missing too, hmm?”  The old general gave him a piercing look.

Alton felt his heart drop, “But-”

“If an important man such as yourself, for example, were to vanish as well, someone might start to ask questions.  And that wouldn’t be good.”

Alton shook himself, “No, you’re right.”  The hollow feeling was back, full force.  “I know, it’s just…”

Orlan nodded sympathetically, “I know son.  But there will be others that catch your eye in the aftermath.  Plenty of ladies love war heroes, and after this, you’re going to be one.”

“What?”

“Alton, you singlehandedly discovered an invading army, alerted the rest of the kingdom to it, and held them off for weeks with only a few men.  This won’t escape the king’s notice.  You’ll be promoted, maybe knighted, and I’m sure a few ballads will be written about it.”

The general paused for a moment, thinking. “Speaking of, how _did_ you hold them off?”

Alton fidgeted, “Uh, well…luck?”

“I see.”  He sighed, “Well, I hope you’ll come up with a more convincing story to tell the king.  He’ll want to know every detail.  ‘Luck’ isn’t going to cut it.”

“I know, sir.”

“Enough of this.  This whole-” he waved his hand in the air, “mess can be dealt with _after_ we make sure the South won’t kill us all.  To bed with you!  This cold makes my old bones ache, I don’t know how people live up here.”

Groaning, Orlan rose from his chair and Alton did the same.  “Good night, boy.  We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

With a heavy heart, Alton stepped out into the night, and gazed up at the cold, white stars above.

 

~~~~~~~~

_The burning cold was heavier now.  The numbness had spread, she wouldn’t know if her legs were still attached if not for the pain ripping through them._

_Her breath came in weak gasps now, every movement of her ribs tearing open the wound’s jagged edges, her magic struggling to keep up, fading with every second._

_Brown eyes gazed up at the tent ceiling, glazed and unseeing.  Two jars of glowing energy sat by her head, mocking her.  She knew there was more to come; lots more.  It would never end, not until they were done with her._

_The tent flap opened as the man came in.  The frigid air let in washed over the cavity in her torso.  A liver was not meant to feel cold, and she flinched as the dense touched the exposed organs._

_“Oh, look at you, you’ve filled another, eh?  What a busy beaver you are.  Not to worry, there’s lots left to go.”  His paper dry fingers brushed against the tears on her cheeks and she couldn’t find the breath to scream._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good lord you'd hope this is as dramatic as it gets, but no. Sorry folks, it gets worse, stay tuned.


	23. CH. XXIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeha two in one day. Don't get used to it, friends, it's not here to stay. Also, more bad stuff happens to Leisel, so if you're uncomfy with that, uh, its the first ~~~ to the third ~~~ and fourth ~~~ to the end.

_This is taking too long,_ Alton thought, tapping his fingers against the table.  They were arguing about wages for the soldiers and whether or not this counted as overtime.  Couldn’t they figure this out later?  Leisel needed him _now_.

“Are we boring you, Alton?” The general’s voice pulled him out of his moping. 

“Oh, no sir, but aren’t there more important things we could discuss?  Like when the attack will take place?”

Several of the other captains looked taken aback, and some even opened their mouths to defend the general.  “Are you suggesting I don’t know how to launch a proper assault against an enemy, Alton?  The thing I’ve done more than half my life?  The thing that I trained you in?” The general asked mildly.

“Oh!  No, of course not, I just-“

“Got a bit ahead of yourself.  It happens.  Just, pay attention, would you?”

“Yes, sir,” he mumbled.

 

Hours later, things finally began to take shape.  The pass the South had used to infiltrate the kingdom was narrow and steep.  They only could have gotten so many men and supplies through by moving very slowly, and very carefully.  They would not be able to retreat quickly if given no warning. 

The slight valley the main camp was settled in had several creeks running through it that provided slightly lesser steep escape routes.  Those would be the most heavily guarded.  The plan was to surround those points entirely, leaving no option but to climb the hills around them.  Archers and cavalry would be placed at the tops of those hills, on higher ground. 

The cavalry would force the South further and further into the bowl of the valley, crushing them into a smaller and smaller area where the archers could fire into the crowd. 

Scouts reported that the camp acted as if they had no idea they were there, completely unprepared. 

This would work.  It had too. 

Calvary and soldiers were dispatched at dusk, to travel by night into position.  Tomorrow, the South would wake to an army knocking at their doorstep.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The man was back again, leaning over her face, his sour breath wafting against her cheeks.  Leisel wrinkled her nose, and twisted her head away.

“Oh, no.  Stay here.  You have such lovely eyes; I want to see them.”  He gripped her face and pulled her back to face him.

Her mouth was so dry, the wad of spit and blood was small, but hit where she wanted.  The man screeched and frantically wiped his face off.

Breathing harshly, her turned to her and snarled, “You’re lucky, _witch,_ that I’m too pure for one such as you to corrupt.  Had I been any other, _lesser_ , man, I would have to be killed, my remains burnt.” 

“Fuck you,” she croaked.

“Oh, please,” he smiled demurely, “I’d never taint myself with the _cunt,_ ” he slapped her across the face, “of a witch, even if you begged me for it.” 

Leisel spat out another gob of blood and smiled a hangman’s grin, “You got it backwards, bud,” she gasped, “In this case, _I’d_ be fucking _you_.  But only if you beg for it.”

She watched his face turn a lovely shade of puce and his mouth shrink like he’d bitten a lemon.  “ _Filth,_ ” he hissed, “Oh, we’ll burn that right out of you, yes we will.”  He turned with a whirl of long sleeves and robes, over to the brazier burning in the corner.

Leisel let her head thunk back down onto the table, closing her eyes as another wave of numbness washed over her.  She felt the heat of an iron near her leg and braced herself against the pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Y’know, this isn’t the way I expected this mission to go,” Bernard said.  “Sure, I expected _some_ weirdness that always comes with witches and the like, but I did _not_ expect this.”

Perched on a horse, just out of sight of the encampment, Alton sighed and said, “Well Bernard, I’m pretty sure no one expected this.”

Bernard plowed on as if he hadn’t spoken, “Well yes, but getting involved in a war with one of the greatest enemies our kingdom has was well down on my list.”

Alton rolled his eyes and asked, “And what list is that?”

“Uh, ‘Weirdest Events to Occur on a Trip’.”

“I don’t think that’s an actual list, Bernard” Christoff piped up from the sidelines.  After a pause, he added, “Points for trying though.”

“Thanks.”

“If I’m not interrupting, we’re _supposed_ to be listening for the signal,” Kay cut in, “Which I can’t do if you yahoos keep talking.   Be quiet it should come at any minute.” 

The group settled in to wait.  Even the horses were mostly silent, standing in the snow, shivering.  They all jumped when a clump of snow fell off a branch.

“Shouldn’t it have sounded by now?” asked a younger recruit, “Do you suppose they were ambushed?  What if we’ve been found out?”  His voice was high and reedy with fear.

“Well, you know how when you go to see a play and they never start on time?  It’s always a few minutes after they say it is,” Bernard said.

Sounding confused, the young man asked, “So it’s like that?”

“Oh, no, this is totally different.  Dunno what’s gone wrong now.”

“Stop scaring the kids, Bernard,” Kay grumbled, “I’m sure everything’s fine.”  A beat.  “Mostly.”

“Will you all shut up?” Alton hissed, “We won’t be able to hear the horn over all this chatter, why can’t you people behave yourselves for one minute before we plunge into our possible deaths?”

“Uh, Alton?”

“Honestly, with all this noise, it’s a wonder we haven’t alerted the enemy we’re here!”

“Alton?”

“Good Lord and Butter, we must have the luck of the gods on our side or you would’ve been dead years ago!”

“Alton?” Christoff tugged on his sleeve.

“WHAT.”

“The horn, uh, sounded.  While you were yelling-,” Kay elbowed him, “-talking.”

“Oh, for- Just charge!” Alton yelled as he urged his mount over the crest of the hill.    
“Archers!” he signaled and seconds later a wave of arrows sailed overhead into the waiting army below.  “Calvary, hold!”  They would need to wait for the second horn for the second phase.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leisel drifted back into conciseness with the sounds of battle outside.  Burning marks on her body reminded her of what happened before she passed out.  Patches on her arms, legs, and chest throbbed in time with her racing pulse.  Then the shuddering, empty numbness set back in, and she gasped, then winced as the burns on the left side of her face pulled as she stretched the skin there.

Even weaker, Leisel was barely able to turn her head to face the jars.  They numbered four now, and her heart sunk.  She closed her eyes before the burning tears could escape.  The emptiness was bigger than before, her body shaking even more, the tips of her fingers turning grey and lifeless, like wax. 

_Soon that will be all of me,_ she thought.  _So, this is how it ends._ She thought about all her scrapes with death, her village in the mountains of home, of Alton.  _After all that, I thought there’d be more to it._   But no, she would die slowly, quietly, on a table, her corpse to be left to freeze in the snow, and rot in the springtime.  Gods, her magic wouldn’t even fall back into the earth, it would sit in a jar on a shelf somewhere, stagnant. 

It was this thought, that her most precious remains wouldn’t even cycle back to the earth, roused her.  That and the flaming arrow that struck through the roof of the tent and set it alight.  That certainly added an extra element of time.

_Y’know what?  No.  That’s not how this goes down.  Fuck this._   Very slowly, with monumental effort, Leisel managed to move her finger.  A twitch really.  But it was a start.  Soon, the tingling numbness had faded from her arms, as she fought it back.  The runes on her arms, dormant and faded for so long, flickered with life once again. 

Leisel focused on the bones of her hand, feeling them within her, her magic crackling along the bone, centering on the joint of her thumb.  With the gentlest of nudges, the bone popped out of place, and she slipped her hand out of the cuff.

Gasping with a mix of pain ( _ow that had hurt_ ) and joy, she reached down her body until her hand met the tube, and the gaping hole in her skin.

She braced herself, then plunged her hands into her own guts.  Grasping around, she felt where the man had jammed it into her bone and muscle.  One by one, she pried each metal barb out of her flesh, fingers slipping in the blood, making her grip more difficult. 

Her magic was going wild, sputtering and flickering under her skin, it arched between her fingers, trying to close the wound and simultaneously losing the battle to keep her from bleeding out.  More blood gushed over her hand.

Finally, Leisel yanked the last barb out.  Immediately, she felt better, the shaking and breathlessness lessened, and the wound in her stomach started to slowly close. 

The sounds she was making didn’t sound human, as she clawed at her remaining bindings.  At this point, Leisel was running on fear, adrenalin, and spite.  Light flickered under her skin, unhappy with the damage to it’s vessel, but not strong enough to fix it.

Jerkily, Leisel hauled herself to her feet.  She moved almost like a puppet, magic helping support her limbs, helping to walk, but having no real idea of how it was supposed to work or look.

In a daze, she grabbed a spear sitting in the corner, and lurched out into the cold and din of the night.   Behind her, the tent continued to burn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's that on that. :)


	24. CH. XXIV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weee more blood and guts. Nothing too graphic tho. Some good man-angst if ur into that kinda thing :)  
> Good songs to listen to with this are 'Night on Bald Mountain' by Mussorgsky and Movement II (Largo) from Dvorak's New World (9th) Symphony. Quality angst there. Enjoy

_ It looks so much easier from up here,  _ Alton thought as he watched the battle take place below him.  Still, they waited for the second horn that would send in the cavalry to finish them off.  Perched on a hill above the valley, he could see everything. But he couldn’t smell the blood and shit and mud, nor hear the screams and yells and clamor of it.   _ This,  _ he mused, _ is not meant to be viewed from a distance.  It’s far too easy to think it is not so horrible. _

He watched as the Southern forces crept towards the hills, attempting to escape the carnage below, towards the gullies where they could escape.  

Alton stared into the woods across the valley where he knew Orlan watched the battle much the way he did, waiting for the right moment to strike.  Still, even with Orlan’s long, successful military career, Alt couldn’t help but feel the worry creep up his throat. The South were getting closer and closer.   _ Goddess, I feel like a kid again.  I haven’t felt like this since the first time I saw combat,  _ he thought.

He turned to look at the men behind him.  They looked so young and pale, white-faced, not just from the cold, but from fear.  He wished he could tell them it would be alright, that they would be fine, but he couldn’t lie to them.  Looking back down into the bowl of the valley, bodies littered the ground, staining the snow around them.  No, there wasn’t any way he could guarantee these men that they’d go home safe. Not when the opposite was true.

“That’s the look of a condemned man, Alt.  Why the face?”

He turned to Kay beside him, “Oh, just thinking that we can’t guarantee anyone they’ll live to see the next day, even when we’re not doing battle.”

Kay laughed, “As one does.”

Alton chuckled and elbowed his friend, “Alright then, wise one, what’s on  _ your  _ mind if not your approaching death?”

Kay looked thoughtful for a moment, “Dinner.”

“Dinner?” Alt laughed, “ _ That’s  _ what’s on your mind?”

“Well, if I do live through this, I imagine I’ll be quite hungry afterward,” he said primly.  

“I suppose you will.”  After that, an amicable silence settled between the two men.  Alton tried to keep the worry from creeping up his throat again.  

_ No, don’t think about that.  Think about something else.  _ His thoughts promptly drifted to Liesel.  He felt immediately worse. Looking down at the burning chaos of the camp, he felt his stomach lurch.  She was down there, unarmed, injured. Possibly already dead or worse. Below, a powder keg exploded, and he flinched.  

By his side, Kay was shooting him worried looks, “Alt, you look even worse.  What’s on your mind now? The inevitability of time, perhaps?”

He swallowed around the lump in his throat, “No, I-”

The second horn sounded.

“ _ Finally, _ ” he whispered.  Then, yelling, “Calvary forward!  Advance!” 

Around him, the air seemed to shake with the thundering of horses hooves.  The shouts and cries of the people soon followed as they met the mass of Southern forces on the slopes.  Alton felt his pike rip out of his hand in the armor of a Southern soldier beneath him. He drew his sword and continued on.  He had to find Liesel. He needed to get into the main camp.  

The ground was a mess of blood, slush, and mud.  He felt his horse stumble, right itself, and stumble again, picking its way through the carnage.  He hacked at soldiers below him as he rode through their ranks. When his horse fell, he jumped free and kept on moving. 

 

Later, when his body ached with fatigue, his shield splintered and battered, he saw Christoff, still seated on his mount.  

“Christoff!  Christoff!” he yelled.

The blond’s head whipped around, sword raised to strike, but relaxed slightly when he saw Alton.  

“Have you seen..?”

His face was grave.  “I haven’t. But, I have seen these.”  He pulled out a shard of glass, clouded and thick.  It shone faintly, brilliant blue. 

Alton felt himself pale.  “Where did you find this?”  

“Next row of tents, on the left side.  You’ll see it,” he said sympathetically.  

Wordlessly, Alt nodded and ran.  He skidded through to the next row, only to find a mess of burnt canvas and poles.  He began to pick through the remnants of each one, searching for any signs she had been there.

“Ow!” Something had cut him.  Gingerly picking through the ash and dirt, he pulled out another shard of glass, glowing the same faint blue.   _ This is it _ , he thought.  Standing, he looked around the rest of the tent, eyes settling on the sturdy wooden table in the center.  Thick, iron manacles dangled from each corner. A large, dark stain marred the center of the table. The inside of the cuffs crusted with blood.  

_ Liesel _ , he thought,  _ What did they do to you? _   Knives and various weapons littered the site, more and more glass shards, all glowing blue. 

Hoof beats startled him out of his reverie.  Alton whirled, drawing his sword, only to see Christoff ride up beside him.  “Cap’n, she’s not here.”

“But she was.”

He nodded, “She was.  But now she’s not. And we need you, Alton.  Keep looking if you need to, but we need to keep moving.”

Alton cast one last look around the burned tent, heaving a sigh, but nodded and stepped back towards the battle.  As he left, he stepped over a body, dressed in long robes and a cruel face. He had a wound in his belly, his organs spilling out of the tear in his stomach.  Alton kept moving.

 

It seems like hours later.  His arms are leaden, his shoulders burn with the strain of the sword and shield.  There’s a long cut down the side of his thigh that oozes with every step he takes, a long shallow slice along his ribs and his shield arm is almost numb from the blows, along with a thousand other tiny hurts.  He’s standing over the corpse of a Southern soldier who looks about as young as the pale recruit from before; when he sees it. Alton pulls his sword out of the other’s chest with a ghastly sound but ignores it in favor of the brilliant blue streak across the battlefield.  

There, across the valley, a body trailing blue fire behind it archs into the sky.  Suddenly he’s limping as fast as possible, stumbling over bodies and debris towards the spot he saw the flames.

It takes him too long.  By the time Alton fights his way through the crowd, there is only a patch of melted snow and charred bodies left.  “Liesel!” he shouted frantically, “ _ Liesel!”  _  Alton turned to look for her, meeting another Southerner instead, drawn back into the battle.  

 

Later, when the retreat horn sounds, after they’ve decimated the camp, he moves in a daze with the rest of the men.  When they finally reach their base once more, he finds Bernard and Kay waiting for him at their tent.  

They saw the look on his face, the slope of his shoulders.  “Cap’n, you need to see medical.”

“I know,” he said, but didn’t move.

“I’m sure she’s alright, Alt.  We saw evidence all over; she was alive and kicking.  Same old Liesel.”

“I know.”

“Alright captain, let’s get those wounds checked.  I think you might have a head wound.”

He nodded, and let them guide him towards the medical tents.  “I just wish I could have found her.”

“I know, Cap.  We all do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're winding down. It's falling action time people. The climax has passed. I never thought I'd actually use that stupid plot pyramid they teach you in 9th grade English but here we are. This is for you Ms. Heimer


	25. XXV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was lazy and didn't want to come up with a name for the king so he's just 'the king' Here ya go

_ In the still of the dawn, the morning star on the edge of the horizon, the crescent moon hung still in the sky.  The dry crunching of footsteps broke the silence before the sound disappeared as the footsteps turned into the soft powder at the edge of the path.  The tracks led into the woods, vanishing between the trees, headed towards the plains of the East. Slowly, they crept over the crest of a hill and descended into the snowy flats, winding their way through the  few windswept trees that managed to grow. There was no one to see this. The footprints traveled alone. _

~~~~~~~~

~Three Years Later~

Battleworn and weary, Alton and the others rode into Isholt to the cheers and cries of the people lining the streets.  His Company was down more than half of his men, but still, they cheered. After all, how could they know the losses they had suffered, when proof of success was right in front of them.  They cheered because the war was over, three long, bitter years of it. After the attack in the North had been neutralized, Orlan received word that a second, larger assault was being mounted on the Southern border, and they were needed there, to defend the capital. 

The 9th Company went wherever it was needed, first the Southern border, the Western mountains to eradicate a group of spies, running all over the kingdom, ferreting out enemy soldiers the entire way.  Finally, they were sent back to the border for the final assault. The year they spent there was long, full of losses, mud and death. But finally it was over. And they had been called before the throne for commendation.

Orlan, who gave credit where credit was due, made sure word traveled that it was the 9th Company who held the South in the North, who had alerted the rest of the kingdom.  Who’s quick thinking and quick thinking and incredible resourcefulness staved off attack for so long. At least that’s what the court summons said.

There was a time when Alton would have been ecstatic to be recognised before the royal court.  It would be a gateway towards promotions, prestige, a chance to join ranks with distinguished veterans like Orlan.

But now, tired and weary, gaunt and filthy from battle, he could only see the slaughter and war that brought him here.

“I didn’t think it would feel like this,” Bernard said at his side, “I thought it would feel... triumphant, maybe.  This feels... “

“Hollow.”

“...Yeah.”

Behind them, as they led the parade through the city, soldiers embraced their families, or told friends that their loved ones hadn’t made it home, and grieved with them.  Capital citizens, who hadn’t seen or heard anything from the war, save for rumors and periodical news of victory from the king, lived untouched by it. Whole villages had been burnt to the ground, but Isholt with its marble domes and cathedrals stood tall and proud.  

When the procession reached the palace, the lords were there to greet them.

“Captain Ericson, welcome home.”  Lord Sabel of the Merchant Guild reached out to shake his hand.  His fingers bore several thick gold rings, crusted with stones.  

Alton dismounted and bowed.  “It’s an honor to be here. I am fortunate to be able to return home at all.”

The noble smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to respond, “Ah, yes, well, we’re certainly glad to have you back.  What luck indeed.” Sabel discreetly wiped his hand off on his robe. Alton’s were worn and dirty with gods’ knows what.

“Please, come this way, the King is waiting,” he gestured with an elegant, practiced wave towards the palace doors.

Alton nodded, and the rest of his med slid from their horses.  Sabel pulled up short as Christoff helped Kay down from his own mount, his missing leg making dismount difficult.  

“Ah, we weren’t aware of your companion’s... injury,” Sabel hedged.  Some of the other nobles murmured amongst themselves, shooting looks to the scruffy group with barely concealed distaste.  

“I’m sure I’ll manage just fine,” Kay said mildly, pulling a set of crutches from the horse, not perturbed in the slightest by the cool reactions of the nobility, or at least appearing too.  

“Well,” Sabel forced a smile, “Let us be off then.”  And swept into the palace, his fine robes swishing against the floor.  The other lords followed suit, flanking the men as they walked through the huge doors.

The hallways were massive, high ceilings, mirrors covering the walls, ornate carvings and gold chandeliers, the light reflecting off the polished marble floor.  The procession was quiet, save for the clanking of the soldier’s armor and the thunk of Kay’s crutches against the floor.

 

They seemed to walk forever, the halls stretching on and on, mostly empty save for a few servants, who nodded once in acknowledgment, before scurrying off into one of the side halls.  Once, they ran into a group of Ladies, likely the wives of nobles, who looked at their disheveled appearances, gave murmured, generic praises to their victory, and fled in much the same manner.

By the time the group reached the massive doors to the throne room, the soldiers had grown weary of the half frightened, half disdainful looks they had received.  

Stopping just before the polished oak doors, Sabel turned to them, “I trust you all are prepared to meet the King?  I hope I don’t have to remind you of the company you’re in, and the decorum you’re expected to uphold.  I know you have been off fighting in places where you may be as vulgar and uncouth as you like for many months, but-” 

“Years.”

“Pardon?” Sabel said with a forced smile.

“It’s been years.  War’s been going on for years, mate.  Thought you’d know that, shat with supplying it and all,” Bernard said, his face stone-cold and serious for once.

“Well, that may be, but however long, it has been a while since you’ve appeared in court, and we wouldn’t want you to embarrass yourself or others.”  His smile grew a little tighter, “Of course, I’m sure the reminder is unnecessary. Just be sure to be appropriately grateful. It’s not every day the common man receives a royal commendation.”  Sabel paused for a moment, letting the backhanded comment sink in, as if they weren’t clever enough to understand. “Now, you will stay here, and wait until you are announced. We will be going in to take our places and inform the king we are ready.”  With that, he turned and slipped into a small pass at the near the wall, into the throne room, the rest of the nobles filing in behind him.  

“Well,” Christoff said in the ensuing silence, “he was an ass.”

“Boread’s Balls Alt, you actually lived here?  How’d you stand it?”

“Well I didn’t live in court, Bernard.  I lived in the lower parts of the city. My only contact with the nobility has been Orlan, and you know how he is.”

They all thought of the old general, and his habit of flicking gold coins to whoever could burp the loudest at dinner.  “I don’t suppose he fits in well at court?” Kay asked.

“I think he hates it as much as they hate him,” Alton said, “He’s a member because he’s one of the best strategists in the kingdom, and I think his father held some title or another before he passed.  Gave it to his brother though, I think. Didn’t like the stress of it.”

“Can’t blame ‘em,” Bernard grumbled, “Good Lords, I can’t wait to get out of here.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure how we’re expected to be ‘appropriately grateful’?” Kay grumbled.

Alton sighed, “Listen, let’s just get this over with and be done with it.  Sounds like nobody wants us here, including us, so let’s just say as little as possible and leave as soon as possible.”

“But where are we going afterwards though?”

Christoff’s words echoed strangely in the hall, and nobody said a word.  After a time, Kay said, “Well, I can’t fight anymore. And I don’t think I would have wanted too, even without this,” he wiggled what was left of his leg.

“I don’t think I want to hunt witches anymore either,” Bernard said quietly.  Christoff quickly elbowed him into silence. They hadn’t talked much about Liesel.  

Alton sighed.  Picking through the rubble and chaos of the aftermath of the first battle, they hadn’t found her body.  But that didn’t mean much. She could have easily crawled off into the woods and died from wounds, cold or any of a thousand ways.  

When they had a free moment the group had made the trek back to the wrecked cabin and found nothing taken, no signs of leaving.  What they did find were Anik’s tracks, leading North, towards the open tundra.  

He thought about all the preparations she had made, all the trips to some mysterious destination in the woods.   _ Perhaps,  _ he thought, but it was more of a hope than an actual thought.  Even if she was still alive, it would be difficult to find her with the whole of the kingdom to search, perhaps even a few of the surrounding kingdoms.  Liesel would keep a low profile, and stay hidden.

Then a voice echoed through the doors in front of them.  “The 9th Company of the Kingdom of the North, returned from war, bringing victory and glory to the Court of the King!”

“Well, that’s our cue,” grumbled Bernard.  The doors swung open, and the group moved forward.  The long room was lined with tiered tables, with nobles seated all along them.  At the very highest seat, and the other end of the room, the king sat on a golden throne.  Ornate curls and fine metalworks dripped off the seat, and perched upon in was a man so swaddled in furs, silks and finery it was hard to see where he ended and the chair began.

As they walked towards the dias, the men felt every eye upon them, and Alton felt acutely aware he hadn’t bathed in a long time, nor had he trimmed his beard.  His armor was dented, dull and his clothes were patched and fraying. The rest of his men were in such a bedraggled state as well. Alton felt bad for even stepping on the carpet and breathing the air, it was so fine.

Finally they arrived at the base of the throne, and knelt.

“Captain Alton Ericson, men of the 9th Company, you are here today for your bravery, resourcefulness, and courage in the face of certain peril against the Southern scourge in the Northern Province of this Kingdom.”  The voice came not from the king, but from one of the pages by his side. “Without the actions of your early warning, the troops of his Majesty’s Royal army would have been caught unaware for attack and many lives would have been lost.  Even more so commendable, was the ability your unit displayed in keeping the Southern scourge at bay, holding them to their frozen little rock and protecting the good citizens that do live there.”

The words were clearly scripted, Alton could practically  _ hear  _ the capital lettering used in the writing.  “For this here bravery, resourcefulness, and courage, Alton Ericson of the 9th Company shall be awarded with Knighthood, a portion of his Majesty’s lands, and a position on the Royal Army’s Board of Intelligence and Strategy.

“The other’s of your unit shall be awarded a Knighthood as well, and a smaller portion of his Majesty’s lands.”

The page stepped back and indicated it was Alton’s turn to address the King.

“Uh, your Royal Majesty, I-  _ we _ thank you for this incredible honor and are most grateful for the opportunity you have given us to be before the court.”  Behind him, Bernard snorted quietly.  _ I’ll yell at him later, _ he thought, but continued, “There is much to be thankful for in there times; our lives, our safety, but most of all, the kindness and grace of our KIng-”

“Who told you to snivel like that?” the king interrupted.  If the page’s voice had echoed in the chamber, the King’s voice filled it.  “General Orlan didn’t tell me you were a bootlicking little brown-noser? In fact he told me the opposite.  Where’s the man who told the South where they could shove their little war, hmm?”

“Uh, Majesty-”

“I don’t care!  You!” he pointed at Bernard, and Alton felt dread wash over him, “Who told you to snivel?”  

Eyes wide, Bernard slowly smiled, and pointed towards Lord Sabel, who’s face went pale and slack.  “He did, Majesty, and made sure we knew our place among the esteemed nobility and your esteemed self.”

The king’s gaze swung around towards Lord Sabel, who seemed to shrink under his glare.  “Figures,” he said, “I’ll deal with you later. But for now! You are tired and worn, let us disperse and we’ll get some food and rest in you.  Begone, all of you!” He waved away all the nobles and stood from the throne.

“Ohh, that chair is uncomfortable,” he groaned, “Murder on my back.”  He reached out to shake Alton’s hand, grasping it with both of his. “Don’t pay those crackpots any mind.  They’re left over from the last king and I haven’t been able to rid myself of them yet.” As he talked, he shook all the other’s hands in much the same fashion.

“Come, there’s been a banquet prepared.  On the way, you will tell me how you held the Southern invaders for so long.”

“Oh- uh, it was really all good fortune.  They were very poorly laid out, clearly out of their depth, and Bernard here,” he pointed at the man, who gave a wave of acknowledgement, used to be a Chemistes apprentice.  We were able to craft firebombs that aided us greatly. Of course, really, it was all luck-”

“Bull.”

“Uhm, what, your Majesty?”

“Don’t you feed me lies, young man, I listen to them all day and I’m sick of them.  Orlan sent me a raven the night before they reached Fairmount. With the size of the invasion, your little group of men here should have been dead within a fortnight.”

“Ah, well there was a storm that-”

“I know about the storm, boy, Orlan heard from some surviving locals about that.  They said it was centered around the Southern camp. Very  _ strangely  _ centered.  Those same locals also had no idea you boys were still in town.  Said you took no supplies from the wreckage, and didn’t take shelter there either.

“Now, I can understand the storm doing a lot of the work for you.  I can understand using the firebombs, but you, without food or shelter, surviving that storm, is impossible.  Something funny went on in the North gentlemen, and I want to know what.”

At this point, Alton felt kind of ill.  This king was a great deal sharper than his predecessor, and Alton could tell he wasn’t going to let this go.

In Alton’s silence, the king said, “What were you men doing up North anyhow?  Aren’t the nine and tenth Companies used for witchfinding?” A pause. “I don’t want to have to go to Orlan to tell me what happened up there Ericson.  I wouldn’t want to make him break your confidence.”

With a heavy sigh, Alton told the king about Liesel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Such drama! Much war! So yeah, three years passed so keep note of that. :)


	26. CH. XXVI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok this is a big boy. I'm shocked as you are. For this, there's a really cool painting that inspired the landscape for this, if you wanna look at it, I think that'd be cool, it's a really cool painting  
> link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kuac-fm-tv/13585953753/in/album-72157643318852385/  
> You could also listen to 'Wasteland, Baby' by Hosier. It's kinda the vibe I'm going for.

“It was going well until we came back into town.  We saw the smoke through the trees, but we had no idea what had actually happened until we saw the riders come through the trees.  Liesel, we had to leave this woman she knew behind. She had friends there. People liked her. She helped them.”

He told the king about the raids, the solstice and the massive storm that was so ‘convenient’.  He talked about finding her body in the snow, and the slow recovery from the storm. He didn’t talk about the way her eyes crinkled every time she smiled, or how she always gave the best hugs.

In the end, when he finished, the king was quiet for a time, then said, “You know, the reports say that storm crippled their camp for weeks.  It’s the reason they didn’t hunt you down like dogs in the woods, too busy regrouping. That storm saved you boys.”

“Uh, yes, your majesty.”

The king was quiet for a little longer, as they walked in silence down the vast hallway.  “It sounds like this witch helped quite a bit in the whole affair. You say she’s still alive?”

Alton sighed, “We think so, your Majesty, but its more of a hope.  While we didn’t recover her body, she was likely severely wounded, and even with her magic.  We’re don’t know where she went after. She might have died of the cold, her wounds, or infection and we wouldn’t know it.”

“Hmm,” said the king.  “I want to offer the same honors to this witch of yours as I did you.  Just without the publicity. The council would have a fit. I suppose they’ll still throw one though,” he mused.  “I’ll have my messengers put word out that we’re looking for her. You said blond, brown eyes, longbow, with tattoos?”

Alton nodded, “Yes majesty, stocky build, kind of short.”

“Good,” the king beamed, “I do love pissing off the council.  This’ll really put a burr in their beards! As for now, we must go and enjoy this excellent feast that has been set for your arrival.  I’m starved and I’m sure you are as well.”

The king linked their elbows and dragged Alton along with a surprisingly firm grip.  As he cast a bewildered look over his shoulder, the others laughed and followed.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The feast had been excellent.  The food was excellent, they were sat far away from the nobles and were able to enjoy the company of Orlan, who had materialized out of nowhere.

“I thought it’d be a nice surprise!  Haven’t seen you boys since the battle of the creek.”  They laughed and talked for what seemed like hours. At some point, Orlan asked, “So, Alton?  Now that you’re not going to be gallivanting about the kingdom looking for witches, what are you going to do?”

Alton drew a breath.  “Well, I suppose I’ll be busy with the Intelligence and Strategy Board-”

“No!” Orlan roared with laughter, “That’s a council that only meets once a month!  It’s full of pompous old men who have about as much  _ intelligence  _ as a stunned hen!  If that’s all you do, you’ll never have a busy day in your life!  In fact,” the old general continued, “I bet that’s why the king put you there.  The neglect of that council is likely why the South caught us off guard. If we had an actually functioning committee, we might have seen the attack coming.  I bet he’s put you there to whip that Board into shape!”

“Then I suppose I  _ will  _ be rather busy then, won’t I?” Alton said primly.

“Oh, alright, you get off easy.  But Bernard! What are you going to be doing?”

The conversation devolved from there as each man revealed his plans for the future.  Bernard would open his own Pyromancy shop and make rockets and mixtures to sell to the public.  Christoff planned to return home and expand his family’s orchards, and Kay, who had been a bookbinder’s apprentice, would continue on that path.  “I think,” he said, “If I get around to it, I’ll transcribe the events and put it all together. Make a story out of it.”

“Wonderful idea!” cried Bernard, who was well in his cups, “A great, dramatic retelling of the exploits of Sers Alton, Bernard, Christoff and Kay!  Swashbuckling fights, glorious victory, and,” he wiggled his eyebrows at Alton, “torrid romance with mysterious, mystical women!”

“I’ll have you know there was nothing ‘torrid’ about it!” he yelled over the uproarious laughter from the rest of the table.

“Ah, but it was a romance with a ‘mysterious, mystical woman’ though!” roared Christoff, which set off another round of laughter.

It was a long time before the conversation turned to other subjects, much to Alton’s dismay.

~~~~~~~~~~~

A month later, Alton was fighting a headache as he reviewed the messages sent in from pages and spies throughout the kingdom.  Alongside them were proposals written by the other members of the Intelligence Board. The information was sparse, but it seemed all was well.  The South was still recovering from the costly war, and the borders were quiet because of it. The problem was the other councilmembers.

_ It’s a wonder,  _ Alton thought,  _ that we haven’t been invaded more.   _ Their ideas were basic, a child would be able to see through them, and they had no interpretational skills at all.  If a note came that unrest was growing in the Western mountains, they assumed it was invasion or war, not because of corrupt magistrats hoarding supplies.  

Finishing his report to Orlan, he called to Merl, his page.  “Will you run these to Orlan? I’ve got a few more messages to go through, and he needs this before his meeting.”

The boy nodded, and darted out of the room.   _ He’ll make a fine messenger one day,  _ Alton thought.   _ Quick on his feet, good head for ciphers, quiet as a mouse when he wants-  _ the end of his thought slipped away as he looked again at the paper in front of him.

The note, half decoded now, read ‘Eastern floodplains, Moras Delta, sightings of blond, glowing woman, seen in Beral, Mosing, Jerna’

There had been a few false sightings over the course of the month, all wild goose chases.  The alleged witch from a village called Umin had just gotten stuck in a bog and stumbled back into town late at night and been mistaken for a sorceress, while the so called ‘enchantress’ from Isholt itself was just the product of shady hooch laced with demongrass extract.  In reality, it had been a sheet hung on a clothesline.

Every time, he had gotten his hopes up, wishing so, so hard for it to be Liesel.  And it never was. But this time was different. The description was more accurate than any before, and something burned in his chest that this really was Liesel.  

“Merl!” he called, “Could you let Orlan know that I’m taking my leave?  Tell him I’ve got a witch to find!”

“Again?” came the muffled voice, through the door, “Wasn’t the last one a deer that had gotten caught in a tarp?”

“This one’s the real deal.  Don’t know when I’ll be back, the tip said East Floodplains.  Might take a while,” he yelled while frantically packing up papers, and throwing on his cloak.

The boy came back into the room, “The Board isn’t gonna be happy about this.”

“When are they ever happy.  Will you get the message to Orlan?”

“Yessir, I will.”

“Good lad, I’ll promote you when I get back,” he said as he rushed out the door.

“I’ll hold you too that!” Merl called after him.

As Alton rushed through the city, he realized the knot in his chest had loosened.  Everything would be okay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything was not okay.  The Eastern Floodplains, like the name implied, were flat, almost treeless plains.  Stretching for miles upon miles, the grass was dull and the landscape monotonous. It was a dreary, rainy place that flooded every spring and stayed that way for about a week every spring. 

The Moras Delta, where the Moras River flowed into the salt marshes where it mixed with the ocean water, was even more so.  The tide flooded the delta nearly everyday, and the twisting, ever-changing river route didn’t allow anything but the hardiest of reeds to grow.  To make matters worse, wet, cold air swept in from the ocean and often covered the area with a dense fog that turned into rain more often than not.  It was a landscape made of mudflats, twisted clumps of driftwood, and amphibious creatures.  

This was not what made things not okay.  Alton could deal with the near-constant rain, fog and general brownness of the landscape, but the problem was this; when the note said ‘ _ Moras Delta, seen in Beral, Mosing, Jerna’ _ , it just meant the  _ entire Moras Delta.   _ Beral, Mosing and Jerna were situated on the very edge of the mudflats, where farming became difficult.  They got by with growing a type of grain, similar to rice, that could survive long periods of time completely submerged.  

The three towns formed a sort of triangle around the delta, with Mosing being the farthest inland, where the delta began to widen, Jerna at the coast, where the ground grew more rocky and stable, and Beral, perched on the far edge of the flats up in the foothills.  

They surrounded a vast area of mud, water and driftwood.  And Liesel could be anywhere in that area. Therein lay the problem.  It would be impossible to search all of it.

Sighing, Alton resigned himself to visit each town and ask if anyone had seen her.

~~~~~~~~~

_ Week 1 _

Mosing was unhelpful.  The locals, though happy to assist the war hero Ser Alton Ericson, could only tell him she had passed through town almost two years ago, and stopped in once or twice since then to get cloth, tools and other things ‘you can’t get in th’ sticks’ as one local put it.

“Seemed nice enough,” the shopkeeper commented, “Didn’t say much, but was real polite.  Didn’t complain about prices or th’ weather. But if you’re lookin’ for her, I guess she’s up to no good, eh?”

He was quick to correct them, that no, he wasn’t looking for a criminal, he was looking for a friend.  

“Oh, did she help you in the Great Battle in the North?” The woman’s eyes widened at the possibility.

“Yes, se helped a lot-”

“Oh, wow, a real hero!  Imagine, a war hero coming to  _ our  _ little town!  Oh, of course  _ you  _ as well Ser Alton.  You’re also here.  _ Two  _ war heroes in our town!  Wait till I tell the children.”

Alton decided to get out of town before they asked him to sign their meeting hall.

_ Week 2 _

Jerna was equally unhelpful.  Due to the relative isolation and regular supply of strange fish that they pulled from the ocean, the people of Jerna spent their time finding new ways to pickle, prepare and ingest different drugs and poisons derived from their fish.  

A good majority of the people in town seemed to sway as they walked or had a blank look in their eye when he talked to them.  

He asked the clerk about it when he stopped in to have a letter delivered to Orlan back home.  “Yeah, there’s not much to do, small town like this, so this is just how we get our kicks, I guess.”

“I see.”

“Anyway, you wanna try some?  This has only killed, like, three people so far, but I think I cut the fish right this time.”

“No thanks.”

The clerk shrugged, “Suit yourself.”

People there hadn’t seen her since last winter, when she came through to buy salt and jars.

“Yeah, I think she said she was headed for Beral.  Dunno why she’d go, there’s even less there than there is here,” said the salt merchant, “Maybe she just likes spooky trees.  There’s lots of spooky trees in Beral. I don’t like spooky trees. I went once to Beral, and there were waaaay too many spooky trees.”

Alton decided to go to Beral.   _ Anything to get away from here,  _ he thought.

_ Week 3 _

Beral was like a ghost town.  The buildings all seemed to slant, none of them leaning the same way, and seemed to be half falling apart where they stood.  The people shot him suspicious glances; his neck constantly tingled with the feeling of being watched. They were gaunt, and looked grey in the face.  And the man from Jerna was right, the trees were creepy. The wood was pale, barkless, and branches crooked and knobbly.  

When he rode into town, night had fallen, a full moon in the sky.  The silver light shone off the trees and cast eerie shadows. When a breeze groaned through the woods, the branches creaked and scraped together, creating a dry knocking, tapping sound.  Irrationally, he thought it might be what bones knocking together sounded like. From somewhere, far beyond where his human eyes could see in the darkness, a hollow moan drifted into the air.

“I’m sure that’s just another tree,” Alton said to his horse, “Old, dead trees make that sound all the time.  They’re hollow inside, you see? That’s what makes the noise.”

The horse said nothing in return and if Alton happened to urge him into a canter, well, that was no one’s business.  

The inn was dim and creaked as much as the trees outside.  The innkeeper, a frail old woman with strangely empty grey eyes handed him a key and told him where his room was in a whispery, raspy voice.

Alton didn’t sleep much that night.

His conversations with the villagers was to the point.  He asked the innkeeper, who told him she hadn’t seen Liesel in her dry, slithery voice, the sentry, who still hadn’t gone off duty despite apparently being there all night and into the day, and finally, the shopkeeper.

The general store of Beral was full of twisted shelving and cobwebs.  There wasn’t much there but the grain they grew and some dried, salted meats.  The clerk, however, was helpful.

“Yes, she came to see the old Priestess.”  His back was oddly hunched and he seemed to talk through a mouthful of dust.  

“And?”

“Well, she went to the old Priestess.  I didn’t see her again.”

“Who’s the old Priestess then, and where can I find her?” Alton asked tiredly.  

“Well, back before this area became part of the kingdom, there was an old religious order that made their home here.  She’s the last of their order. You’ll find her just on the edge of town, in the drowned forest.”

“Drowned forest?” Alton asked.

The clerk’s lips cracked into a thin smile, “Oh yes, haven’t you seen the trees?  Long ago, the river flooded this area, and brought with it salt water from the ocean.  Killed all the trees in the area. Now we just have their remains. Good day.”

Feeling more uneasy by the minute, Alton left the shop and headed back out into the drowned forest, looking for the old woman’s house.  When he did see it, he started. He had come this way into town, he should have seen this hut. It wasn’t five yard off the road, but he’d gone right by it as if it wasn’t even there.   _ Maybe it wasn’t  _ the back of his mind whispered.

He was just about to knock on the door when it swung open.  The old priestess really was old. Alton would go as far as to say ancient.  Her hair was bone white, and her skin was brown and leathery with age. She smelled like old medicine, musty and sharply herbal.

“Do come in.  I’m just putting the tea on.”

“Um..,” he steps into the hovel, noting the dim lighting, thickly woven rugs and wattle and daub walls.  “Hello.”

“Oh, really, dear.  Is that the best you can come up with?  ‘Hello’? I thought you were supposed to be smart.”

“That’s uncalled for,” he muttered under his breath.

“I heard that!” the old woman cackled from the fireplace, “I hear lots of things with these old ears of mine, I’ll thank you very much.”  She poured tea into two rough mugs, and gazed at him with bright, beady eyes, “I’ve heard you seek the witch of the North. Ser Alton Ericson.”

Alton was becoming more uneasy by the minute, “Yes, I am.  Should I ask how you know my name and what I seek?”

The crone smiled and her wrinkles grew deeper with it, “Maybe, maybe not.  Does it matter? I think not. Drink your tea.”

“Uh,” he looked down at his cup, the oddly curling steam spiraling from the liquid, and the strange murkiness of it, “no thanks, I’m more of a coffee person.”

“Drink your tea boy, it’s rude to refuse refreshment.”

“Yes, ma’am,” and took a sip.  Then another. It was actually quite good.

“Now, if you’re looking for the little witch, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask of you the Questions Three.”  As she spoke, the wind seemed to blow a little harder, shaking the hut and causing the trees to bend and groan outside.

“The Questions Three?  What are they?”

“They are the three questions we of the Old Order must ask to determine the integrity and purity of the hearts of those who seek the knowledge of the Order.  Be warned, for if you do not answer truthfully, you shall never find what you seek.”

Alton swallowed around the lump of uneasiness in his throat, but asked to hear the questions anyway.

“Very well.”  The old woman drew herself up regally, and he could see the remnants of some older power, ancient and refined, flow into this bent, old crone.  “What is your name?”

“Uh, Alton Ericson?”

“Is that a question or an answer?” she snapped.

“Answer.”

“Good.  What is your quest?”

“I’m looking for Liesel.”

“And lastly, what is your favorite color?”

Alton pulled up short, “What?”

“Well, it’s not a hard question,” the old Priestess frowned, “What’s your favorite color?”

“Um, a guess a red-orange?  Like a sunset.”

The crone beamed, “Good!  You’ve passed. Your lover is at the Old Temple, down the stream and West.  It’s the big sunken cathedral in the mudflats, can’t miss it.”

“Wha- But? That’s it?” Alton sputtered.

“Indeed, that’s it.  Now get out.”

“But what was the point of that?  They’re so trivial!”

She fixed Alton with a piercing stare, “Exactly.  If any man were to lie about his name, quest, even their favorite color, they hold falsity so close to their heart, they lie so often, it has become second nature, these are not people we trust our secrets too.  Only a man so steeped in deceit and darkness would lie about something so frivolous and childish as their favorite color.”

“Huh,” Alton said, then, “Where did you say Liesel was again?”

“By the Old Ones, boy!  Do you not listen to your elders?  Are your ears full of water like your head is?  The Old Temple, in the mudflats! Now get out, I’ve got dreams to make.”

And with that, the old woman shoved him out the door, bumping his head on the low doorway.  “Out!” she cried. The door slammed shut behind him and he was alone in the creaking forest once more.

“Huh,” he said again.  Then, to no one in particular, “I suppose I’d better get moving.”  

The mudflats were a day’s ride out the other side of town, the rough path sloping down into increasingly murky fog and wetness.  The cloud cover thickened, casting an eerie light through the trees. Eventually, they grew sparser and sparser, until there were only stunted willows and reeds.  

Finally, when the sun was low in the sky and as he rounded a bend, below him on the flat expanse of mud and silt, half sunken in the earth, the ruin of the Old Temple appeared below him.

All the excitement and longing he had felt for three years and those few months all returned at once, and seemed to double every second until he felt that his chest would burst with it.

As he rushed down the hillside, tripping over every root and roll of the ground, he caught a glimpse of a blond head poking through the small garden at the base of the ruin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drowned forests are real! They look super cool and spooky so go look them up! Thank you for reading!


	27. CH. XXVII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, I just wanna wrap this thing up. Here's this.

There wasn’t much to do out here, other than obsessively weed the small plot of grain she had managed to grow.  The root vegetables had all died, the silt too poor and wet for proper farming. So now all she had left was this scraggly patch of grain that cooked down to a lumpy paste.  Some of it, she had dried, and tried grinding it down to flour. It produced a flat, dense bread with very little flavor. 

Liesel stood up from where she knelt in the mud, and stretched, feeling her spine pop in several places.  Looking down at her basket of weeds, she contemplated trying them, to see if they were edible.  _ Probably won’t kill me,  _ she thought,  _ What’s the worst thing that could happen? _   She pondered the possible vomiting/diarrhea vs. a new addition to her diet.  Goddess, but she was sick of mush and bread.

Giving the limp green plants a hard stare, as if glaring at it as if that would force them to confess their toxicity.  “Meh,” she shrugged, and hefted the basket onto her hip to bring them inside.  

“Liesel.”  The voice behind her was so surprising, she shrieked and hurled a blast of energy towards the source.  

As he was picking himself up from the mud, blasted several meters back, Liesel realized who it was.  “Alton?” Her face went pale, and she felt her stomach drop. Her feet felt stuck to the ground and her limbs were cold and lifeless. 

“Yes,” he slowly stepped closer, as if approaching a wounded animal, dangerous and scared.  “It’s been a while.”  

“So I guess the war’s over.”  It was the only thing she could think of to say.   _ Do you still want me? Are you okay?  _ These and so many other things rested on the tip of her tongue, but none of them came out.  They all felt weak and insubstantial in the face of the situation.  

“I thought... “  _ I thought you’d move on.  I thought you wouldn’t care.  I thought you’d leave,  _ were all things running through Liesel’s head.  

“I missed you.  I didn’t know you were still alive.”  His voice was also small, still as though speaking to a cornered animal.

She chuckled in a teary, sniffly sort of way, “Then why are you here?”

“I hoped,” he stepped closer, close enough to take one of her hands.  He just held it for a minute, as if making sure she was really there. Then he brushed his thumb over her cheek, and she was reminded of the burn there, the skin that pulled tight whenever that side of her face moved.

Liesel avoided his eyes, and tried to pull away.  “Liesel, please... “ Alton started, then found words had deserted him.

He swallowed, “How have you been?  How is it here?”

She let out a dry laugh, “Well, it’s not exactly the social hub Fairbank was.”

“Oh, with it’s two whole roads and three bars?” Alton smiled.

“Yeah, like Beral’s much better.”  Her tone was bitter now, and Alton frowned.

“You know, you don’t have to stay here.”

She snorted, “Where else can I go, Alton?  Not back to Fairbank, or anywhere I’ve been before.  I’m running out of options, and this is the best one.”

Her voice was so forlorn and resigned, Alton couldn’t help but draw her into a hug, pressing her tight to his chest.  She buried her face in his neck, and returned the embrace. After a while, he noticed she was shaking, barely suppressing small, gasping cries.

“I’m just so tired.” He felt her words pressed into his collarbones, almost too soft to be heard. 

“They knighted me, you know, me and the whole gang.  For preventing more casualties holding off the South.  They called it a miracle, that we were able to hold out so long.”

When she didn’t respond, he continued, “The general who came to help us, he trained me.  He knew me. He’s a real strong kettle of fish, Orlan. He knew something was amiss the moment he got there.  I told him about you.” Liesel stiffened in his arms, but he was quick to reassure her.  

“He promised to keep it a secret, he was going to help me get you out if-” he stuttered on the words, thinking back to the sickening dread and worry that had gripped him when he hadn’t known if they would even find her, “-if we found you.  But you weren’t there, and there wasn’t anything left to do but move on.” He swallowed heavily, “I’m sorry I left you behind. I didn’t know what to do, so I just left. It’s not an excuse, it’s just inexcusable.” 

“Alton, I was already gone before you left.  There wasn’t much you could've done,” she chuckled weakly.  

“Still,” he mumbled.  “Orlan promised to keep it a secret.  But even the king knew something didn’t make sense.  He’s not as wittless as his predecessor. He caught it the minute I told him the story.  I didn’t know what else to do, and I told him everything.”

She pulled back sharply, “Everything?”

“Only the important parts.  He knows about the storm, and you helped feed us, and made sure we weren’t completely lost.  Nothing about us,” he soothed. “But Liesel, he wants wants to commend you. He wants to give you the same honors he gave me.”

She snorted, “Really?  No, I don’t think so. There’s no way, this is a trap.”

Alton frowned, and tilted her chin up to look into her eyes, “Liesel, I wouldn’t be here if it were.  I wouldn’t do that to you. I couldn’t.” Fathomless dark eyes looked up at him, searching for any sign of deceit.  While at times they were the color of warm chocolate, cinnamon heat, now they glimmered like frozen chips of coffee, cold, bitter, and unyielding.  “If it is a trap, I don’t know about it, and I’ll fight every man in that city to keep you safe. I promise.”

“What if you have to fight the whole kingdom?” she asked hoarsely.

“Then I’ll do that too.”

For a long moment, they just stood there, still wrapped in each other’s arms.  Then, with a deep sigh, she said, “Alright,” then with that funny little half-smile he loved, “The weather here sucks, anyway.”

“Oh, gods it does!  I have no idea how you managed so long!” Alton laughed.

Liesel felt the smile on her face slip into something a little more bitter, harder.  

“Liesel?” he asked.

_ I didn’t  _ she thought,  _ I didn’t.  I almost died so many times.  I didn’t care. I didn’t have anything, no food, no hope, nothing and I didn’t give a shit.  I almost starved to death and I didn’t fucking care.   _

“Liesel?” Alton called her name again.

“Yeah,” she forced a smile, “It was rough.”

There was an awkward silence where neither of them knew what to say.  “So, I’d better get my stuff, then.”

Alton seemed to shake from his revieri, “If you want too.  We don’t have to leave immediately.”  

Liesel thought about just staying here with Alton.  Just the two of them, sequestered off from the rest of the world.  It felt as if no one could touch them here, they were so alone.  _ This is what the end of the world looks like,  _ she thought, looking around at the fog and mud and the flat nothingness of the landscape.

She glanced back up to the looming cathedral behind them.  Cracked and crumbling, covered in moss, it was a gloomy, dismal place, that only spoke of ruin, misery and the slow, inevitable decline into oblivion.  

It reminded her of the feelings of complete and total isolation and despair that had plagued her here.   _ No, there is only remnants here.  Shades of a past long forgotten. _

“No, we should go.  It won’t take me long.  There’s not much to pack.”  And lead the way into the crumbling temple.

The bottom two floors of the temple lay sunk in the mud, the only entrance to the third being the vast windows, their stained glass long gone.  They sat twelve feet above the ground, making it so you had to climb the wall until you could climb in.  

She did so, practiced after nearly two years, and looked down at Alton, still on the ground.  He looked up dubiously at the crumbling stone blocks, but followed. Once inside, it was slightly more impressive.  

The building was carved out of slate grey stone, carved with patterns, fleur de lis, and statuary of a long forgotten religion.  The entire structure was slightly tilted in the mud, the floors never quite level. Wind twisted through the gaping windows, echoing through the cavernous space and into the darkness.  

A small cookfire was set in the corner of the room, a small pile of blankets next to it, where she slept.  A few pots were scattered about it, and a single pack leaning against the wall. The rest of the towering room echoed bare.  

“Yeah, it’s a little drafty,” Liesel said in response to Alton’s wide-eyed stare.  “When the weather got really bad, I went downstairs. There’s a little bit of space by the ceiling where the mud hasn’t reached yet.  I had to crouch but it was better than up here.”

“What do you do when it floods?” Alton asked detachedly.

“There’s higher floors, they’re just more unstable, so I don’t go there much.”

She saw him open his mouth to say something, but apparently think better of it, and closed it again.  

She finished cramming the last of her things into her pack, but kept something out in the palm of her hand.  “I was going to give this to you, but there wasn’t really time. I had a lot of time on my hands, so I cleaned it up a little bit.”  She let the leather cord hang from her fingers, letting the weak light shine off the quartz. It had been ground into the shape of a hawk, sitting with its wings folded, and polished smooth.  The gold flecks still ran through the stone, and had been fixed to the cord with sinew.  

“I’m not the best at carving, but I think it looks okay.”

“Liesel, this is beautiful.”  Alton’s voice was soft and careful.  “I don’t know what to say.” He ran a thumb over the smooth surface, and his eyes flicked back up to hers.  

“I don’t know why I even did that.  I didn’t think I’d see you again,” she confessed.  “But there you go.”

Suddenly she was pressed into Alton’s chest again, crushing her in another hug.  Liesel realized, belatedly, he was crying. She made a soft noise, and he mumbled, “I’m just really happy to see you,” in response.

“I know.  Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeee :) None of this has been edited

**Author's Note:**

> In case this chapter didn't make it clear, in the North, magic is seen as an extension of the natural power of the Earth and stars, etc. So Leisel, as someone who can manipulate that energy, isn't inherently bad. Just as nature isn't exactly cruel, it just is. However, down South it's seen as unnatural and is criminalized. Leisel fled in order to escape persecution. Hope you liked it!


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